Mini-Baccarat was developed as a table game in casinos to accommodate the average player. However, along with that, optional side bets were also introduced to increase the house edge. Before detailing them, I will explain how the game is played.
Aim
The objective of this table game is the same as the original Baccarat, where the player must get as close to the number nine as possible. Aces count as one, twos to nines are face value, and tens to kings count as zero. Regardless of the number of players, the dealer only deals two hands with a 6 or 8 deck shoe. Before the deal, players must place a bet on the bank’s hand, the player’s hand, or the tie.
When a hand is added, it cannot exceed nine. If the two cards add up to more than nine, the first digit (number one) is discarded. The second digit becomes the total. Some examples are:
7, 8 = 15 (drop 1) total = 5
4, 3 = 7 (two cards, face value)
10, 6 = 6 (10 is zero, 6 is face value)
K, 9 = 9 (King is zero, 9 is called natural)
Baccarat does not require any skill on the part of the player. All you need to do is decide where to place a bet before the deal. The dealer examines both hands and then decides whether to draw a third and final card for either hand. The determination is made according to a fixed set of rules of the game.
A bet on the player’s hand returns even money if it is won. A bet on the banker’s hand returns even money minus a 5% commission to the house if you win. A push bet returns 8 to 1 if won, otherwise it is a push when no bet is made. The reason for the 5% commission on the Bank’s profit is that the draw advantage is with the Bank, according to the following game rules:
Player
The player position always draws with a 0, 1 and 2, 3, 4, 5 unless the dealer has a natural 8 or 9. The player always stands on a 6, 7, 8 and 9. When a player has a natural 8 or 9, the game is over.
banking
The banker position always draws on a 0, 1, 2 unless the player has a natural 8 or 9.
The banker always stands on 7, 8 and 9. When a banker has a natural 8 or 9, the game is over.
Baccarat Side Bets
There are a number of optional side bets available at Mini Baccarat tables everywhere and, like any side bet, they all exist to increase the house edge. However, players are drawn to them due to the large win payouts. These are some of the most popular:
bonus dragon
The bettor can bet on the player’s or banker’s side that the hand will win naturally or by 4 or more points. The bet must be made before the hand is dealt. The higher the number by which the hand wins, the higher the payout:
Earn by: Pay
9 – 1/30
8 – 10/1
7 – 6/1
6 – 4/1
5 – 2/1
4 – 1/1
natural – 1/1
The house edge for this bet is 2.7%.
The payouts are the same for a bet on the bank side, however the house edge jumps to 9.7% if chosen.
4-5-6
This is a side bet that the total number of cards combined to complete the player and banker’s hand will be either 4, 5, or 6.
# Payment Cards House Edge
4 – 1.5/1 – 5.3%
5 – 2/1 – 8.9%
6 – 2/1 – 4.7%
3 card sixes
This is a bet on a 3 card winning six. If the player and banker have a 3-card six, the bet pays 100/1. If there is only a six out of three cards, the bettor wins 8/1. The house edge is a whopping 13.4%!
royal party
Betting that the player’s or banker’s hand will have a King and Queen on the first two cards drawn, called a Royal Match. Not to be confused with the option of the same name found in the game of Blackjack. The bet pays 75/1 for a suited king and queen, and 30/1 for a suited royal match. The house edge has been calculated at around 2.1%.
dragon 7
Dragon 7 is an optional side bet found in EZ Baccarat, which is played just like regular Mini-Baccarat, except the game has a rake-free bank hand with one exception: a winning bank hand with a total of three cards of seven will push instead of paying even money. A player can bet on that outcome for which the winning payout is 40/1. The house edge is around 7.6%.
Panda 8
The Panda 8 side bet is sometimes found in EZ Baccarat games. The bet pays 25/1 if a player’s hand has a total of three eight cards. As for the house edge, it is 10.2%.
tie bet
The Tie Bet is not considered a side bet, as it is included in all Baccarat table games. However, due to the egregious 14% house edge, it should be avoided at all times.
Remember that Baccarat, next to Blackjack, has a very low 1.2% house edge when the play bet is chosen, and a lower 1.06% house edge when betting on the banker when you avoid the side bets. .
Good luck!
