Baccarat Variants: Every Version Explained
Every version of baccarat shares the same core: two hands, Player and Banker, and a goal of getting closer to 9. What changes is the commission, the speed, who handles the cards and which side bets are available. Here’s how each variant works and which one suits you.
All Baccarat Variants in One Table
| Variant | Where it’s played | Main difference | House edge on Banker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punto Banco | online and land-based | the classic, 5% commission | 1.06% |
| Mini Baccarat | online and land-based | smaller table, lower limits | 1.06% |
| No Commission / Super 6 | online, live | Banker win with 6 pays 1 to 2 | about 1.46% |
| EZ Baccarat | online, land-based | no commission; Banker three-card 7 is a push | about 1.02% |
| Speed Baccarat | live | rounds of about 27 seconds | 1.06% |
| Squeeze | live | cards revealed slowly | 1.06% |
| Chemin de Fer | land-based, rarely online | players take turns as the bank | depends on players’ decisions |
Classic Variants
Punto Banco
The most common form of baccarat, and what most casinos simply call “baccarat.” Every drawing decision follows fixed rules; you only place bets. Full rules are in our baccarat rules guide.
Chemin de Fer
The French version James Bond plays in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale. Players take turns acting as the bank and bet against each other, while the casino takes a commission from the bank’s winnings. With a total of 5, the player can choose whether to draw a third card.
Baccarat Banque
A close relative of Chemin de Fer. One participant holds the bank until the shoe or the bank’s money runs out, and the other players are split into two hands. It’s rare today, found mostly in European card clubs.
Mini and Midi Baccarat
Mini baccarat is Punto Banco at a blackjack-sized table: one dealer handles the cards, limits are lower and rounds are faster. Midi baccarat sits in between, with more seats, higher limits and the option for the biggest bettor to reveal the cards. The rules and payouts are the same.
Online and Live Variants
Online casinos and live studios have added their own versions, mostly changing the pace, the commission or the payouts.
Speed Baccarat
Live baccarat with rounds of about 27 seconds: the cards are dealt face up and the betting time is shorter. The rules and payouts are classic, but you play roughly twice as many rounds per hour — which also means twice as much money wagered.
Squeeze and Controlled Squeeze
An Asian tradition of revealing cards slowly: the dealer lifts each card by its edge to build tension. In Controlled Squeeze, the player with the largest bet reveals the cards. Neither affects your odds — only the atmosphere.
No Commission and Super 6
There’s no 5% commission, and a Banker win pays 1 to 1 — except a win with 6 points, which pays 1 to 2. It’s simpler to follow, but the house edge on Banker rises slightly, to about 1.46% compared with 1.06%. Super 6 tables also offer a side bet that Banker will win with 6.
EZ Baccarat
Another way to remove the commission: if Banker wins with a three-card total of 7, Banker bets are pushed. The house edge on Banker is about 1.02%, slightly lower than classic. EZ Baccarat has its own side bets, Dragon 7 and Panda 8.
Lightning Baccarat and Golden Wealth
Evolution variants with multipliers. In Lightning Baccarat, random “lightning” cards multiply winnings, but every bet carries an extra fee. In Golden Wealth, multipliers come from “golden” cards in the winning hand. Wins are rarer but bigger. The Golden Fee is 20% of the bet; multipliers go up to 8× (Evolution game rules, checked on 21.10.2026).
First Person, 3D and Multiplayer
First Person Baccarat and other 3D versions look like a live table, but results come from a random number generator and you play at your own pace. In multiplayer baccarat, several people play at one virtual table.
Baccarat Slots
“Baccarat slot” usually means RNG baccarat with automatic dealing, often found in the slots section of casino lobbies. It isn’t a reel slot: the rules and odds are those of normal baccarat.
Dragon Tiger
A related game popular in Asia: Dragon and Tiger each get one card, and the higher card wins. Rounds take seconds, but on a tie your Dragon or Tiger bet loses half, so the house edge is higher than in baccarat: about 3.73%.
Baccarat Side Bets
| Side bet | You win if | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player Pair / Banker Pair | the first two cards of that hand are a pair | 11 to 1 | 10.36% |
| Dragon Bonus (Player) | the hand wins with a natural or by 4+ points | up to 30 to 1 | 2.65% |
| Dragon Bonus (Banker) | the same for Banker | up to 30 to 1 | 9.37% |
| Dragon 7 (EZ) | Banker wins with a three-card 7 | 40 to 1 | 7.61% |
| Panda 8 (EZ) | Player wins with a three-card 8 | 25 to 1 | 10.19% |
| Perfect Pair | a pair of the same suit and rank | up to 25 to 1 | about 13.03% |
| Either Pair | either hand starts with a pair | 5 to 1 | about 13.71% |
Calculated for 8 decks; providers’ pay tables can differ. Almost all side bets cost much more than the main bets. Only Dragon Bonus on Player has a relatively moderate house edge.
What Is a Dragon Bonus in Baccarat?
The Dragon Bonus is a side bet that your chosen hand wins either with a natural or by at least 4 points. The bigger the margin, the bigger the payout:
| Result of your hand | Typical payout |
|---|---|
| Wins by 9 points | 30 to 1 |
| Wins by 8 | 10 to 1 |
| Wins by 7 | 6 to 1 |
| Wins by 6 | 4 to 1 |
| Wins by 5 | 2 to 1 |
| Wins by 4 | 1 to 1 |
| Natural win | 1 to 1 |
| Natural tie | push |
On the standard 8-deck pay table, Dragon Bonus on Player has a house edge of 2.65%, much lower than on Banker (9.37%), so if you play it at all, Player is the better side.
Which Variant Should You Play?
- First time playing? Start with RNG Punto Banco in free demo mode, then move to a low-limit mini baccarat table.
- Want the casino atmosphere? Classic live baccarat or Squeeze in our live baccarat section.
- Want it faster? Speed Baccarat — with a time and money limit.
- Don’t want to track commission? EZ Baccarat offers the best mix of simplicity and odds.
- Looking for big wins? Lightning or Golden Wealth, but remember the extra fee and high volatility.
FAQ
The same game as regular baccarat at a smaller table, with lower limits and faster rounds. The rules and payouts don’t change.
Usually the Dragon Bonus side bet: your hand must win with a natural or by 4+ points, and a 9-point win pays 30 to 1. In EZ Baccarat, “Dragon 7” is a separate side bet on a three-card Banker 7.
A no-commission variant where a Banker win with 6 pays half, and also a side bet on that outcome.
A side bet that the first two cards of a hand are an identical pair of the same rank and suit. Payouts vary by table, up to 25 to 1.
Classic baccarat with a 5% commission and EZ Baccarat: both have a house edge on Banker of about 1%. Multiplier variants are higher.
In Casino Royale, Bond plays Chemin de Fer, the French version where players hold the bank.
Try different variants
Compare them in demo mode, then pick a table with the pace and limits that suit you.