Baccarat Tiger Bet: How Tiger, Small Tiger and Big Tiger Work, and What They Cost
The Tiger bets in baccarat all pay when Banker wins with a total of 6. Small Tiger needs that 6 to come from two cards, Big Tiger needs three cards, and Tiger pays on either. With 8 decks, Banker wins with 6 in 5.39% of hands, and all of these bets carry a house edge of roughly 14% to 31% on the common pay table.
The same total, a winning Banker 6, is also what Super 6 tables pay half on. Here is the math for each version.
What the baccarat Tiger bets pay on
All of them hinge on one event: Banker's final total is 6 and it beats Player.
Two-card 6 wins are more than twice as common as three-card ones, because Banker stands on 6 in most situations and only draws to make 6 from a lower total.
Tiger, Small Tiger and Big Tiger odds (8 decks)
Pay tables vary between tables, so check the layout in front of you. The numbers below use a common one.
| Wins when | Pays | Wins | House edge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Tiger | Banker wins with a two-card 6 | 22 to 1 | 3.72% | 14.33% |
| Big Tiger | Banker wins with a three-card 6 | 50 to 1 | 1.66% | 15.25% |
| Tiger | Banker wins with 6 | 12 to 1 (two cards), 20 to 1 (three cards) | 5.39% | 16.68% |
| Tiger Tie | Tie at 6 | 35 to 1 | 1.92% | 30.74% |
Small Tiger is the least expensive of the group, and it still costs more than 13 times what a Banker bet does. Tiger Tie is the worst, similar to the Super 6 side bet.
Tiger baccarat and the Super 6 rule
Tiger bets usually show up at no commission tables where Banker wins with 6 pay 1 to 2. That rule puts the Banker house edge at 1.46% with 8 decks, versus 1.06% when Banker pays 0.95 to 1. I compared the no commission versions in no commission baccarat.
The Super 6 side bet is the same event as Tiger with a flat payout. At 12 to 1 its house edge is 29.98%. At 15 to 1 it's 13.82%.
Why a Tiger bet's fair payout is so far off
Banker wins with 6 about once every 18.6 hands. A fair payout would be about 17.6 to 1. The Tiger pays 12 to 1 on the more common two-card case, and that is where most of the cost comes from.
The same logic explains every side bet: it pays a lot, it wins rarely, and the payout is set a bit under fair. The general method is in baccarat expected value.
Do Tiger bets change during the shoe?
More than the main bets. A winning 6 depends on specific cards, so a shoe that's run low on 6s, or heavy in 0-value cards, moves the odds more than it moves Banker or Player. Over most of a shoe the change is still small, and a bet whose odds shifted can still lose the next hand.
The scorecard can't show this, because it records who won, not which cards are left.
Follow the shoe in Baccarator
Baccarator recalculates Banker, Player, Tie, pairs and side bets from the cards that are left after each hand. Enter the cards, tap Calculate, and see where every number sits now.
Free on the App Store, 6 or 8 decks, virtual chips only.
Baccarat Tiger bet FAQ
What is the Tiger bet in baccarat?
It's a side bet that pays when Banker wins with a total of 6. A common version pays 12 to 1 if the 6 is made with two cards and 20 to 1 with three cards, with a 16.68% house edge at 8 decks.
What is Small Tiger and Big Tiger in baccarat?
Small Tiger pays when Banker wins with a two-card 6, usually 22 to 1, and wins 3.72% of the time. Big Tiger pays when Banker wins with a three-card 6, usually 50 to 1, and wins 1.66% of the time.
How often does Banker win with 6 in baccarat?
With 8 decks, 5.39% of hands, or about once every 18.6 hands. That's 3.72% with two cards and 1.66% with three.
Baccarator is a math tool for education. No real-money gambling. 21+ only.
