Online Baccarat for Real Money: The Banker Bet, the Tie Trap and Who Pays 9 to 1
Baccarat has one of the lowest house edges in the casino, but only on two of its three bets. We read the baccarat pages of the casinos we review for the commission they charge, what the tie pays and their table limits. Two of them say in writing that the tie pays 9 to 1; the game in our own screenshot pays 8 to 1, which costs you three times as much.
The Short Answer
Bet on Banker, and play where the rules are in writing. Cafe Casino and Bovada both say their baccarat charges a 5% commission on Banker wins, pays 9 to 1 on a tie, and takes bets from $1 to $500 a hand. Bovada also publishes the house edge of each bet: 1.06% on Banker, 1.24% on Player and 4.85% on Tie.
Skip the tie bet wherever it pays only 8 to 1, and don’t count on a bonus: most casinos count baccarat 5% toward a rollover or exclude it entirely. For tables with a real dealer, see our live baccarat guide.
The Best Online Baccarat Casinos
Three casinos that publish their baccarat rules or limits, ordered by our scorecard.
Cafe
- Lowest cashout
- $10Bitcoin, Litecoin, BCH, BSV or Lightning
- Ways to get paid
- Crypto
- Other
- Published payout time
- Crypto: about 24 hours to process
- Limits
- One withdrawal a week, all methods
A 9-to-1 tie, in writing. Cafe Casino’s baccarat page says all its versions are punto banco, the Banker bet pays even money minus a 5% commission, and the tie pays 9 to 1, “beating the 8-to-1 payout at most land-based casinos.” Bets run from $1 to $500 a hand, and it says its baccarat games are available in Practice Mode.
For crypto players: Cafe’s welcome bonus is 300% up to $2,000 plus 150 spins on a first crypto deposit.
Watch for: Baccarat counts only 5% toward Cafe’s 40× rollover, and “Baccarat” also appears on its list of games bonus money can’t be used on. Play baccarat with cash. We haven’t timed a Cafe Casino withdrawal.
We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. Offers change, so check the terms on the casino site before you deposit.
Bovada
- Lowest cashout
- $10Litecoin, BCH, BSV or Lightning
- Ways to get paid
- Crypto
- Wire
- Check
- Other
- Published payout time
- Bitcoin approval: about 24 hours
- Limits
- Bitcoin $90,000 a week; Litecoin $180,000
The only casino that publishes the edge of each bet for its own game. Bovada says its software baccarat uses six decks and a random number generator, pays 1:1 on Player, 1:1 minus 5% on Banker and 9:1 on Tie, and gives the house edge of each: 1.24%, 1.06% and 4.85%. Bets run from $1 to $500 a hand.
Also: Bovada runs live baccarat, and its live lobby showed 15 baccarat games.
Watch for: Baccarat counts 5% toward Bovada’s rollover and is also on its list of games bonus money can’t be used on. We haven’t timed a Bovada withdrawal.
We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. Offers change, so check the terms on the casino site before you deposit.
BUSR
- Lowest cashout
- $25Bitcoin
- Ways to get paid
- Crypto
- Wire
- Published payout time
- 48h review, then up to 1 business day
- Limits
- $5,000 a request; one per method a week
Four versions and a higher limit. BUSR lists Baccarat, Mini Baccarat, Dragon Baccarat and Baccarat Royale. Its Baccarat game page shows a 98.96% RTP and bets from $1 to $1,000, twice the $500 maximum at Cafe Casino and Bovada.
Bonus weighting: BUSR’s rollover table counts baccarat 10%, double what the Bovada-group casinos allow.
Watch for: BUSR doesn’t state its commission or tie payout, so check the table layout before you bet. Its welcome bonus needs a $100 deposit, and we haven’t timed a BUSR withdrawal.
We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. Offers change, so check the terms on the casino site before you deposit.
Seven Baccarat Lobbies, Side by Side
| Casino | Software baccarat | Banker commission | Tie pays | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Casino | Classic and a modern version (punto banco) | 5% | 9 to 1 | $1 to $500 |
| Bovada | Baccarat, Classic Baccarat (six decks) | 5% | 9 to 1 | $1 to $500 |
| BUSR | Baccarat, Mini, Dragon, Baccarat Royale | Not stated | Not stated | $1 to $1,000 |
| XBet | Ultimate Baccarat, Dragon Baccarat (eight decks), Baccarat Royale, Mini | Not stated | Not stated | Ultimate $1 to $1,000; Dragon up to 10,000 |
| Slots.lv | Baccarat, Classic Baccarat (six decks) | 5% | “Usually” 8 or 9 to 1 | Not stated |
| Ignition | Baccarat, Classic Baccarat | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| MyBookie | Baccarat (by Universal) | Not stated | Not stated | 1 to 5,000 |
Banker, Player or Tie: What Each Bet Costs
Baccarat deals two hands, Player and Banker, by fixed drawing rules; you only choose which to back. Banker wins slightly more often, which is why it carries a commission. These are the edges Bovada publishes for its six-deck game, plus the cost of a tie that pays 8 to 1:
| Bet | Pays | House edge | Average cost per $1,000 bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker | Even money, minus 5% commission | 1.06% | $10.60 |
| Player | Even money | 1.24% | $12.40 |
| Tie at 9 to 1 | 9 to 1 | 4.85% | $48.50 |
| Tie at 8 to 1 | 8 to 1 | about 14.4% | about $144 |
That screenshot shows why the layout matters. Betsoft lists its Baccarat at a 98.99% RTP but doesn’t say which bet that figure is for, and this table pays the tie at 8 to 1. At 8 to 1 the tie costs about three times what it does at 9 to 1, and more than ten times the Banker bet. Read the payout printed on the tie box before you bet it.
- Commission: Bovada and Cafe take 5% from Banker wins. A $20 Banker win pays $19.
- Side bets: Dragon, pair and color bets each have their own payouts and a higher edge than Banker or Player. Check the game’s help screen for the paytable.
- Patterns: each hand is dealt independently, so streaks on the scoreboard don’t change what comes next.
Baccarat and Bonuses Don’t Mix
| Casino | How baccarat counts |
|---|---|
| BUSR | Baccarat counts 10% |
| Slots.lv, Cafe Casino, Bovada, Ignition | Baccarat counts 5%, and “Baccarat” is also on each casino’s list of games bonus money can’t be used on |
| BetOnline, SportsBetting.ag | Their casino rules say baccarat isn’t available for bonus play; SportsBetting.ag’s casino rebate counts it 5% |
| Wild Casino | All baccarat is excluded from Weekly Cash Boost and Monthly Reloads |
| Sloto’Cash | Baccarat doesn’t count toward bonus wagering |
At 5%, a $1,000 rollover takes $20,000 of baccarat, which at Banker’s 1.06% is expected to cost about $212. At the four Bovada-group casinos, the chart and the not-playable list disagree, so treat baccarat as off-limits while a bonus is active. Play it with cash.
Our casino games guide compares the cost of clearing a bonus on every game.
Online Baccarat Questions
What is the best bet in baccarat?
Banker. At Bovada it carries a 1.06% house edge after the 5% commission, against 1.24% on Player and 4.85% on a 9-to-1 tie.
Which online casinos pay 9 to 1 on a tie?
Cafe Casino and Bovada say so in writing. Betsoft’s Baccarat, in our own screenshot, pays 8 to 1, which raises the tie’s house edge to about 14.4%.
What are the limits for online baccarat?
Cafe Casino and Bovada take $1 to $500 a hand. BUSR’s Baccarat page lists $1 to $1,000, and XBet’s Ultimate Baccarat $1 to $1,000.
Can I play baccarat with a casino bonus?
Rarely. Slots.lv, Cafe Casino, Bovada and Ignition count it 5% and also list it as a game bonus money can’t be used on; BetOnline and SportsBetting.ag bar it from bonus play.
Is online baccarat rigged?
The casinos we checked say their digital games use random number generators; Bovada says its baccarat uses six decks run by an RNG. None names a testing lab, so stick to published rules and a casino with a record of paying.
Can I play baccarat for free?
Cafe Casino says its baccarat games are available in Practice Mode, and Slots.lv mentions a demo mode.
Play Within a Limit
Baccarat is quick, and a hand takes seconds. Decide your stake and your stopping point before you start, and never raise your bet to win back a loss. Support: call or text 1-800-MY-RESET for free, confidential help through the National Problem Gambling Helpline, or visit NCPGambling.org.