- Maths reviewed by Josh Miller
- Tested by Diana Westfield
This baccarat side bets calculator shows what Dragon Bonus, Panda 8, the pairs and the rest really cost. Pick a side bet, your stake and how long you play. Take Dragon 7: it pays 40:1 and lands about once every 44 hands, which sounds close to fair until you see the house keeps 7.61% of every bet. Banker keeps 1.06%. The CasinoCalcs calculator is free and works for 6 and 8-deck shoes.
Baccarat side bets ranked by house edge
| Side bet | Pays | Edge, 8 decks | Edge, 6 decks | Hits (8 decks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player or Banker Pair | 11:1 | 10.36% | 11.25% | 7.5% |
| Either Pair | 5:1 | 13.71% | 14.54% | 14.4% |
| Perfect Pair, either hand | 25:1 | 13.03% | 17.07% | 3.3% |
| Dragon Bonus on Player | 1:1 to 30:1 | 2.65% | 2.67% | 29.0% |
| Dragon Bonus on Banker | 1:1 to 30:1 | 9.37% | 9.39% | 28.3% |
| Dragon 7 | 40:1 | 7.61% | 7.61% | 2.3% |
| Panda 8 | 25:1 | 10.19% | 10.21% | 3.5% |
| Tie | 8:1 | 14.36% | 14.44% | 9.5% |
| Tie | 9:1 | 4.84% | 4.93% | 9.5% |
| Big | 0.54:1 | 4.35% | 4.35% | 62.1% |
| Small | 3:2 | 5.28% | 5.27% | 37.9% |
All of these were worked out by running every possible deal through the third-card rules, not by simulation, so they’re exact for a fresh shoe. Paytables do vary. If your table pays something different, the edge changes with it.
Dragon Bonus: the one that isn’t terrible
Dragon Bonus is a bet that your side wins by a lot. A natural win pays evens, a natural tie pushes, and a non-natural win pays on the margin: 30:1 for 9 points, 10:1 for 8, 6:1 for 7, 4:1 for 6, 2:1 for 5, evens for 4. Win by 3 or less and you lose.
On the Player side the edge is 2.65%. That’s still two and a half times the Banker bet, but it’s in the same street as a lot of slots. On the Banker side it’s 9.37%, because Banker wins a lot of its hands by small margins after drawing. Same paytable, very different price. If you’re going to play one, it’s Player.
Panda 8 and Dragon 7
These come from no-commission tables. Dragon 7 wins when Banker wins with a three-card 7 (2.25% of hands), Panda 8 when Player wins with a three-card 8 (3.45%). The house edges are 7.61% and 10.19%. They’re fun because they hit often enough to feel close. They’re not close.
They’re also the two bets where counting cards actually does something. More on that on the baccarat card counting page.
Pairs, Perfect Pairs and the Tie
A Player Pair at 11:1 lands about once in 13 hands with 8 decks. Fair odds would be 12.4:1, so the house keeps 10.4%. With 6 decks there are fewer duplicate cards, and the edge climbs to 11.25%. Perfect Pair (same rank and suit, either hand, 25:1) swings even harder with the deck count: 13% with 8 decks, 17% with 6.
The Tie is the classic. At 8:1 it’s a 14.36% edge. A few tables pay 9:1, which cuts it to 4.84%. That’s the single biggest difference a paytable makes in baccarat, so check the felt before you bet it.
What it costs over a session
Here’s the bit people skip. £5 on Panda 8 every hand, 70 hands an hour, for two hours is £700 in side bets. At 10.19% you’d expect to lose about £71. The same £700 on Banker costs about £7.40. Side bets aren’t evil, but they’re where the money goes.
For the main bets, use the baccarat calculator. To watch a shoe play out, try the baccarat simulator, and for every game’s edge in one place, see the best odds in the casino.
Side bets are designed to be exciting. Decide on a budget for them before the shoe starts. BeGambleAware.org is free if it stops being fun.