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Compared to some other casino card games, baccarat has a straightforward gameplay. And while baccarat is easy to understand and play, some variations offer side bets, which give you an added layer of strategy and excitement. Plus, if you play these bets right, you might get some significant returns. In this guide, we’ll learn about popular baccarat side bets, the payouts, the best online casinos in the UK to play at, and more.
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What are Baccarat side bets?
Before we dive into the details, let’s get familiar with what side bets in baccarat are.
To put it simply, baccarat side bets are the optional wagers that you can place in addition to the main bets in baccarat. As mentioned, these side bets add a layer of strategy to the otherwise simplistic gameplay.
Here’s why side bets may be beneficial to your gameplay –
- The outcomes of the side bets are completely independent of the outcomes of the main game
- They add complexity to the game, which may appeal to players who like baccarat but also want more strategic gameplay
- By adding another gamification layer, side bets increase player engagement
- Side bets offer you more ways to win and even offer higher payouts than the base game
While side bets offer these benefits, it’s important to note that they generally come with a higher house edge than the main game. Now, side bets in baccarat are offered at online casino sites as well as land-based casinos. But in this guide, we will be talking about the side bets offered at online baccarat games.
Best casino sites in the UK for Baccarat
If you’re a fan of the James Bond card game, you’d be pleased to know that a lot of online casinos in the UK offer baccarat games. Our team has picked the top five casino sites for baccarat.
| Casino | Welcome Bonus | Get the bonus |
| Casumo | 100% Deposit Match up to £100 + 50 free spins | Visit Casumo |
| HeySpin | 100% bonus up to £50 + 100 free spins | Visit HeySpin |
| PlayOJO | 50 free spins without wager | Visit PlayOJO |
| LeoVegas | 100 free spins | Visit LeoVegas |
| All British Casino | 10 free spins | Visit All British |
If none of these recommendations tickle your fancy, you can check out more casino reviews and find an option that aligns with your requirements.
Baccarat rules – let’s brush up on the basics
To understand how baccarat side bets work, let’s first take a quick look at the basic rules of baccarat. As mentioned, baccarat is fairly simple –
- As you might know, baccarat is a chance-based game. You have to bet on whether the Player’s or the Banker’s hand will win or if the round will end in a Tie.
- The goal is to get a hand that totals as close to 9 as possible. The numbered cards are worth their face value, while the 10s and the face cards are considered as zero. Ace cards are counted as 1.
- If the total exceeds 9, the tens digit is dropped. For example, if the cards in a hand total up to 13, it becomes 3.
- If either the Player or Banker has a two-card hand that totals up to 8 or 9, then you have a natural win.
And that’s pretty much what there is to Baccarat rules!
Baccarat side bets – what are they, and how they work
Now, that we have familiarised ourselves with baccarat rules, what side bets are and how they work, let’s talk about side bets and different types of it.
Pair-based side bets
| Side bet | How it works | Payout | House edge |
| Player / Banker Pair | The first two cards dealt to the Player or Banker are a pair like two 7s or two Ks. | 11:1 | 10.36% |
| Either Pair | Either the Player or Banker hand forms a pair. For instance, if the Player has two 9s or the Banker has two 3s, you’d win. | 5:1 | |
| Perfect Pair | The first two cards in either of the hands are a pair from the same suit. For instance, two Ace of Spades is a perfect pair. | 25:1 | 13.03% |
| Doubler Perfect Pair | Both the Player’s and Banker’s hands get a perfect pair. For example, two suited 7S. | 200:1 or more |
Total card-based side bets
| Side bet | How it works | Payout | House edge |
| Big | If the total number of cards dealt in a round is 5 or 6 | 3:2 | Varies |
| Small | If the total number of cards dealt in a round is exactly 4 | 2:1 | Varies |
| 4-5-6 | This side bet is placed on the predicted number of cards in a round | 3:2 (4 cards)2:1 (5 or 6 cards) | Varies |
Winning hand total side bets
| Side bet | How it works | Payout | House edge |
| Super 6 | If the Banker’s hand totals up to exactly 6, you win | 12:1 to 23:1 | 30% |
| Lucky 6 | If the Banker’s hand totals up to 6 (with two or three cards), you win. The payout is different depending on the number of cards. | 20:1 (three 6s)12:1 (two 6s) | 16.68% |
Specific hand combination side bets
| Side bet | How it works | Payout | House edge |
| Dragon 7/ Phoenix 7 | If the Banker’s hand wins with a three-card total of 7, you win. | 40:1 or 37:1 | 7.61% |
| Panda 8 | If the Player’s hand wins with a three-card total of 8, you win. | 25:1 | 10.19% |
| 3-Card Six | If both or any of the hands have a total of 6 with three cards | 100:1 (both)8:1 (either) | 13.37% |
Other side bets
| Side bet | How it works | Payout | House edge |
| Royal match | If the first two cards in the Player’s or the Banker’s hand are King or Queen, you win. | 75:1 (suited)30:1 (unsuited) | 2.13% |
| Dragon bonus | If the hand you bet on wins naturally or by a 4+ points margin. | 1:1 to 30:1 | 9.37% (Banker)2.65% (Player) |
Please note that the payouts and house edge mentioned here are just for reference, and the actual figures may vary depending on the baccarat game and the casino.
How to place a side bet
You might be wondering – how do I even place a side bet?
To start with, you’ll first need to place a wager in the main game and then look at the side bets. To that end, we have presented a quick rundown here –
- Place a main bet on the Player, the Banker, or the Tie.
- Choose a side bet. As mentioned, the side bets differ from one baccarat game to the other.
- To place a side bet, you have to place a chip on the screen.
- Once you’re done, the game will continue as usual and you’ll see the outcomes of the main as well as the side bets.
Conclusion
To sum up, side bets in baccarat essentially add a layer of strategy to the otherwise simple gameplay. Plus, as the outcomes of side bets are independent of the outcomes of the main game, so you get more chances of winning. Further, side bets have higher payouts, which means you can potentially win it big, if you know your cards. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that side bets have a higher house edge, so you’d want to know your figures well before placing bets.
FAQs
As we saw in the guide, big and small are side bets in baccarat. You have to bet on the total number of cards dealt in a round – small if you think exactly 4 cards would be dealt and big if you think 5 or 6 cards would be dealt.
No, side bets in baccarat are not bad. In fact, side bets have higher payouts and can give you more ways to win. However, usually, side bets come with a high house edge.
As mentioned in our guide, the Super 6 is a side bet that wins if the Banker’s hand has a total of six
