This baccarat cheat sheet fits the whole game on one page. Cards are worth their face value, tens and face cards count as zero, and only the last digit of the total matters. Player draws on 0 to 5, Banker follows a fixed chart, and the Banker bet has the lowest house edge at 1.06%.
Save the image below, or read the sections for the details.
Baccarat cheat sheet: card values and scoring
Ace counts as 1. Cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value. 10, Jack, Queen and King count as 0.
Add the cards and keep only the last digit. A 7 and an 8 make 15, which is 5. The highest possible total is 9.
If either side has 8 or 9 on the first two cards, that's a natural. Nobody draws, and the hand is settled. Our baccarat card values and natural 8 or 9 posts go deeper.
Only the last digit counts, so a hand can never go over 9.
Player and Banker drawing rules chart
Player goes first. With 0 to 5, Player draws a third card. With 6 or 7, Player stands.
Banker's decision depends on Banker's total and, if Player drew, on Player's third card:
| Banker draws if Player's 3rd card is | Banker stands if Player's 3rd card is | |
|---|---|---|
| Banker 0, 1, 2 | Any card | None |
| Banker 3 | Anything except 8 | 8 |
| Banker 4 | 2 to 7 | 0, 1, 8, 9 |
| Banker 5 | 4 to 7 | 0 to 3, 8, 9 |
| Banker 6 | 6 or 7 | Everything else |
| Banker 7 | Never | Always |
If Player stood, Banker simply draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7. The full explanation, including why the chart looks the way it does, is in baccarat third card rules.
Baccarat payout chart and house edge
| Pays | House edge | |
|---|---|---|
| Banker | 0.95 to 1 | 1.06% |
| Player | 1 to 1 | 1.24% |
| Tie | 8 to 1 | 14.36% |
| Tie (tables that pay 9 to 1) | 9 to 1 | 4.84% |
| No-commission Banker | 1 to 1, a winning 6 pays 1 to 2 | 1.46% |
| Player Pair / Banker Pair | 11 to 1 | 10.36% |
| Dragon 7 | 40 to 1 | 7.61% |
| Panda 8 | 25 to 1 | 10.19% |
On Banker and Player, a Tie is a push and your bet is returned.
Banker has the lowest house edge in baccarat, even after the 5% commission.
For the reasoning behind each number, see baccarat payouts, baccarat house edge explained, no commission baccarat and expected value of baccarat side bets.
Why there is no baccarat strategy chart
Blackjack has a strategy chart because players make decisions: hit, stand, double, split. Baccarat doesn't. Every draw is decided by the rules above, so the only choice you make is which bet to place.
That's why "baccarat strategy cheat sheets" built around reading the scoreboard don't hold up. We tested scoreboard patterns on a million simulated shoes in baccarat patterns, and the next hand stays near the same odds after any streak or chop.
Baccarat has no strategy chart because there are no decisions to put on it.
At the start of a fresh shoe, every bet has a negative expected value. Only the cards left in the shoe can change that, and only briefly.
Keep the numbers with you
This cheat sheet shows the odds for a fresh shoe. Baccarator shows them for the shoe in front of you. After each hand you enter the cards and tap Calculate, and it recalculates the odds and expected value for Banker, Player, Tie, pairs and side bets from the cards that are left. If a bet briefly turns positive, it shows a Kelly sizing suggestion; that only appears when expected value is positive, it is a long-run average, and the next hand can still lose. Positive moments are rare and short. It's free, and you can practice with virtual chips.
Baccarat cheat sheet FAQ
What is on a baccarat cheat sheet?
Card values, the Player and Banker drawing rules, and the payout and house edge of each bet. That's the whole game; baccarat has no playing decisions beyond choosing a bet.
When does Banker draw a third card in baccarat?
With 0 to 2 Banker always draws. With 3 to 6 it depends on Player's third card, as in the chart above. With 7 Banker stands. If Player stood, Banker draws on 0 to 5.
Which baccarat bet has the best odds?
Banker, with a house edge of 1.06% after the 5% commission. Player is 1.24%. Tie at 8 to 1 is 14.36%.
Baccarator is a math tool for education. No real-money gambling. 21+ only.
