Baccarat Las Vegas
Learn baccarat from the Caesars Gaming Blog and feel confident walking up to the table next time you're in one of our casinos in Las Vegas.
Baccarat is the most important game in Las Vegas. It accounts for nearly 30% of all gaming revenue in the state. You can see Sin City’s biggest players (the Whales) risking $100,000 a hand at Caesars Palace, Wynn, and Bellagio.
Those are some big bets. Even James Bond played baccarat in the early 007 movies. How cool is that?
“So,” you ask, “What’s the fuss?” To start with, the game is deceptively easy, and the house edge is a tiny 1%. A million-dollar swing in 10 minutes of play isn’t uncommon for a high roller, so there’s that.
And, the card game has an impressive history, likely named for an Italian game, Baccarat – which means zero – played for more than 500 years. But that’s confusing.
You see, although the game is known to most players as baccarat, the game usually played in Las Vegas casinos is really Punto Banco. Other forms of the game, including Chemin de Fer (Chemmy) and Baccarat Banque (sometimes called “à deux tableaux”) are also found in casinos.
There are 376 baccarat tables to choose from in Nevada. Of those, 360 are in Las Vegas and 331 are on The Strip. Last year, the state’s casinos reported $4.2 billion dollars in gaming revenue. Of that total, $1.2 billion was won at baccarat.
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The average baccarat game features the same rules in land based and online casinos. Here are standard baccarat traits and rules:
- Banker bet has a 1.06% house edge
- Player bet has a 1.24% house edge
- Tie bet has a 14.36% house edge
- 8 decks
- 5% commission taken from winning banker bets
These are common no matter whether you play at brick and mortar or online casinos.
But you can find slight rule fluctuations at certain casinos. And these small changes can make a difference in your odds of winning.
That being said, I’d like to cover some of the top baccarat games among land based casinos and online gaming providers. But let’s first go over the main tips you should consider when searching for the best baccarat variations.
Tips on Finding the Best Baccarat Games
1. Search for Reduced Commission Baccarat
Taking 5% commissions from a winning banker bet is the norm in baccarat. Commissions are the only way that the house can keep their edge with this wager.
But you can gain an edge any time you find a game with reduced commissions. And this normally entails looking for a 4% commission table
The banker bet house edge drops from 1.06% to 0.60% when you find 4% commission baccarat.
This may not be the lowest house edge of all time. But it puts baccarat more on par with games like Jacks or Better video poker (0.46% house edge) and good blackjack tables (0.50% house edge).
And what’s great is that you don’t even need any true semblance of strategy to achieve the 0.60% house edge. All you need to do is make the banker bet every time.
2. No Commission Baccarat Isn’t Better, It’s Worse
We just covered how casinos use commissions to maintain an edge over players. But what if commissions were eliminated?
You can actually find games that don’t charge commissions. And this seems like a dream come true because it can give you the edge over casinos.
But the catch is that a banker win with 6 points only pays 50% on your bet. This happens 5.39% of the time and drives the house advantage up to 1.46%.
No commission baccarat isn’t a better game. In fact, it’s worse than standard variations.
3. Play EZ Baccarat
EZ baccarat is another game that doesn’t take commissions from banker bets. But this version offers a 1.02% house edge on banker wagers.
The key difference is how EZ baccarat makes up for the lack of commissions.
Almost every winning banker bet pays 1:1. The lone exception is when the dealer wins with a three card total of 7, which is a push.
You’d think that this would make EZ baccarat have a higher house edge just like the no commission game. But let’s compare the two rule caveats with banker bets:
- Banker wins with three card 7 (EZ baccarat) = 2.25% probability& push
- Banker wins with 6 (no commission baccarat) = 5.39% probability & 50% payout
Even with the 50% payout, no commission baccarat has a higher house advantage because its rule caveat occurs more than twice as often.
4. Look for Fewer Decks
Baccarat isn’t a game like blackjack or roulette, where rules can make a big difference. But one positive rule that you can look for is going from 8 decks to 6 decks.
A standard 8 deck game features a 1.06% house edge. A 6 deck game offers a 1.056% house advantage.
Let’s look at how this can make a difference in the long run:
- You bet $100,000 on both types of games over the course of a year.
- Your theoretical losses with 8 decks would be $1,060 (100,000 x 0.0106).
- Your theoretical losses with 6 decks would be $1,056 (100,000 x 0.01056).
Again, you won’t see a major change in your odds of winning. But since baccarat doesn’t give you many other chances to reduce the house edge, the number of decks is one factor that can change things.
5. Ignore Differences in the Tie Bets
Another common rule in baccarat games is for the tie bet to pay 8:1 on your wager. But few players make this bet because it carries a 14.36% house edge.
This is why some baccarat games offer 9:1 on the tie wager to make it more enticing. The 9:1 payout reduces the house edge from 14.36% to 4.84% in an 8 deck game.
Obviously, this is a marked improvement. But you’re still facing a house edge that’s over four times higher than what’s seen with the banker bet.
6. Look for the Best Available Comps and Bonuses
Baccarat doesn’t offer many comps because it has a low house edge, thus reducing the casino’s take. But this doesn’t mean that you should avoid looking for the best comp rates.
It’s not hard to visit online casinos and look at their bonus terms and conditions to see what kind of comps they’re offering.
Online rates tend to run together. But you’ll find more baccarat value at some casino sites with enough research.
Brick and mortar comps are harder to figure out because casinos aren’t upfront with their rating systems. This is another area, though, where you can find more value through research and/or personal experience.
Best Baccarat Casinos
1. Isleta Resort and Casino
Isleta Casino tops my list because it’s the only place that currently offers 4% commission baccarat.
I’ve never personally been to this casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But their website advertises that they only take 4% commissions.
This makes Isleta the only known place with a 0.60% baccarat house edge. You almost double your chances of winning from the standard 1.06% house advantage on banker bets.
The only downside is Isleta Resort and Casino’s location. The nearest major cities are Denver and Phoenix, but they’re both over 350 miles away.
Furthermore, Albuquerque isn’t a widely visited destination like casino hubs Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
But the point of this list is to find the top baccarat games. And Isleta has the best one right now out of both online and land based casinos.
2. The Orleans
Located on West Tropicana Avenue, the Orleans is one of the few Vegas casinos that runs a regular EZ baccarat game. This means that you can enjoy a 1.02% house edge with their baccarat.
But what separates the Orleans from other EZ baccarat games is the low stakes. You can play hands for as little as $10, meaning the average player will only lose 10 cents per round.
One more advantage to playing at Orleans is that it’s located near the airport and Vegas Strip. This makes it a good place to hit right away when you get into town.
The biggest downside is that there’s only one EZ baccarat table with $10 bets.
If you don’t get onto this table, then you’re forced to play one of the many regular baccarat tables throughout the place. But the good news is that Orleans isn’t far from the action, meaning you can quickly pop in and then go somewhere else.
3. Encore
Wynn properties are often associated with luxury and high rollers. But the Encore features an EZ baccarat game that most players should be able to afford.
Stakes begin at $25 per hand, which goes well with the 1.02% house edge.
One advantage that Encore has over the Orleans is that they feature 16 EZ baccarat tables. This helps offset the higher stakes because it’s much easier to get into one of Encore’s EZ baccarat games.
Another thing to like is the casino itself. The Encore casino has nice lounge seating, posh couches, and plenty of TVs to watch sports on.
And if you get tired of playing EZ baccarat at Encore, you can head next door to the Wynn to enjoy their casino and amenities.
4. Net Entertainment Baccarat
Black Belt Baccarat Las Vegas Strip
Net Entertainment (a.k.a. NetEnt) has long been known for producing high-quality slots games. But they’re also adept at table games, as evidenced by their baccarat action.
NetEnt features a “punto banco” game with 6 decks. As covered before, this reduces the house edge on banker bets from 1.06% to 1.056%.
You’ll see the player bet increase from 1.24% and the tie bet increase from 14.36% to 14.44%. But you likely won’t make these wagers anyways so it doesn’t matter.
Keep in mind that only the punto banco game has 6 decks and a 1.056% house edge. NetEnt’s “baccarat” has 8 decks and a standard 1.06% house advantage.
Another thing to appreciate about Net Entertainment baccarat is the interface.
Both the baccarat and punto banco tables offer rich graphics that bring the table felt to life. The table also features large words so that the rules are easier to read.
5. Playtech Baccarat
Playtech is another online baccarat provider that features 6 decks instead of 8. Again, this difference lowers the house edge on banker bets from 1.06% to 1.056%.
Playtech also features some interesting side bets that can spice up the action. Here’s a closer look at each of these wagers:
- Either pair – You win if banker’s or player’s first 2 cards form a pair.
- Perfect pair – You win if banker’s or player’s first 2 cards form a suited pair.
- Small – You win if the total number of the banker’s and player’s cards is 4.
- Big – You win if the total number of banker’s and player’s cards is 5 or 6.
These bets are fun and add something extra to the experience. But I highly recommend that you avoid making them.
The reason why is because of the house edges, which you can see below:
- Perfect pair = 17.07%
- Either pair = 14.54%
- Small = 5.27%
- Big = 4.35%
The either pair and perfect pair wagers have higher house advantages than a tie bet. They’re also two of the worst bets in all of internet gaming.
The big and small wagers have house edges that are more in line with most prop bets. But these are still much worse than if you just stick with Playtech’s banker bet.
6. Gold Coast
Best Baccarat Las Vegas
Gold Coast doesn’t offer anything special like EZ baccarat, 4% commission tables, or 6 decks. But they’ve become a fan favorite among baccarat players due to their low stakes and quantity of tables.
This casino offers 14 tables with $10 minimum wagers. You can also look forward to a large number of prop bets, although I’d stay away from these if you don’t know the odds.
Gold Coast is located on Flamingo Road and isn’t far from the Vegas Strip. This allows you to enjoy cheap baccarat, then visit nearby places like the Mirage, Bellagio, Palms Casino, and Caesars Palace if you want more attractions and activities.
This casino is also good for enjoying other low stakes table games, and they regularly hold tournaments.
7. Evolution Gaming Baccarat
One of the best inventions to hit online casinos in recent years is live dealer gaming, where action from a land based casino is streamed directly to your device.
Evolution Gaming has become the gold standard for live baccarat and other games. The streaming is good, the dealers are cool, games move fast, and the casino atmospheres look nice.
I’m assuming that the dealers are well paid because they’re friendly and don’t require tips.
Ez Baccarat Las Vegas
The baccarat game itself is nothing special because you’re dealing with a standard 8 deck shoe and 1.06% house edge on banker bets.
You’ll find many of the same prop bets offered in Playtech baccarat. As we covered before, these aren’t worth making.
The key reason to try Evolution Gaming baccarat is if you enjoy the live dealer experience.
Conclusion
Baccarat is already one of the most favorable games in the casino. But it helps if you can find a little more value and/or a different experience.
This creates a 0.60% house edge, which is the lowest I’ve found live or online.
The D in Las Vegas used to have regular 4% commission baccarat. But they recently did away with these games.
Encore and Orleans are also good spots because they have EZ baccarat combined with fairly low stakes.
$5 Baccarat Tables In Vegas
Encore has the advantages in tables (16), while the Orleans has the edge in stakes ($10). But both are good options when considering that EZ baccarat offers a 1.02% house edge.
The other choices we covered are online gaming providers with 6 decks instead of 8.
The value you gain with NetEnt and Playtech is so thin that it’s almost not worth mentioning. But if you’re going to play online baccarat, then you might as well knock a little more off the house edge.
I also covered Evolution Gaming because they offer a good live dealer experience. You won’t gain anything in terms of the house advantage, but you can get a live baccarat experience without traveling.