Game guides

How to Play Baccarat Blitz: Player, Banker and Tie

Published 2026-07-20

Baccarat Blitz is a choose-and-watch table game. You select Player, Banker or Tie, then the eight-deck shoe and fixed drawing rules settle the hand. There is no decision after the cards begin.

The goal and the three bets

Player and Banker are names for the two hands. They do not describe who is sitting at the table. The winning hand is the one with a final total closer to nine.

• Player: wins when the Player hand finishes closer to nine.
• Banker: wins when the Banker hand finishes closer to nine. Winning bets include a 5% commission.
• Tie: wins when both final totals match and pays 8:1. Main side bets push on the tie.

How baccarat card totals work

Aces count as 1. Cards 2 through 9 use their face value. Tens and face cards count as 0. Only the last digit of a total matters, so 7 plus 8 makes 15 and the baccarat total is 5.

An opening total of 8 or 9 is a natural. Otherwise, the game applies the standard third-card table. The Player rule is resolved first, and the Banker rule can depend on whether the Player drew and which third card appeared.

Why the Tie payout is not the best value

The Tie result is less common, so its 8:1 payout looks dramatic. The engine’s return tests place Player and Banker near their familiar high-98% ranges, while the Tie bet returns materially less over the full model. A larger headline payout does not imply better long-run value.

A simple way to learn the table

1. Use one small main-side wager in Fun play when available.
2. Watch how totals drop the tens digit after adding the cards.
3. Notice that every draw happens automatically under the same rules.
4. Read the result and commission before starting the next hand.
5. Avoid raising the stake because one side feels due after a streak.

For a broader introduction, read how to play baccarat. The house edge and RTP guide explains why a payout and its probability must be considered together.