Baccarat Banker Drawing Rules: The Third-Card Table

In standard punto banco baccarat, the Banker hand follows fixed drawing rules. “Banker” is the name of a hand; it does not mean that the person backing it chooses whether to take a card. This guide explains the table and common reading mistakes.

Check for a Natural First

Aces count as 1, tens and face cards as 0, and other cards at face value. Only the final digit of the total counts. If either initial two-card hand totals 8 or 9, both hands stand. The higher total wins; equal totals are a tie.

When the Player Hand Stands

If there is no natural, the Player draws on totals 0–5 and stands on 6 or 7. When the Player stands, the Banker draws on 0–5 and stands on 6 or 7. The more detailed table below is used only when the Player takes a third card.

When the Player Takes a Third Card

Read the Banker’s two-card total against the value of the Player’s third card, not the Player’s final hand total. A ten, jack, queen or king is a zero-value third card.

Banker Two-Card Total	Banker Draws if Player’s 3rd Card is:	Banker Stands if Player’s 3rd Card is:
0, 1, or 2	Always Draws	—
3	0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9	8
4	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7	0, 1, 8, 9
5	4, 5, 6, 7	0, 1, 2, 3, 8, 9
6	6, 7	0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9
7	—	Always Stands

Examples of Reading the Table

If the Banker has 3 and the Player’s third card is 8, the Banker stands. If that third card is 9 instead, the Banker draws. With a Banker total of 6, only a Player third card worth 6 or 7 requires the Banker to draw.

For example, a Player starting total of 5 followed by an 8 produces a final total of 3. A Banker starting on 3 still stands: the relevant value in the table is the third card, 8, rather than the Player’s final total of 3.

Drawing Rules and Payouts Are Different

The table determines which cards are dealt. It does not determine the payout for a winning bet. Under a common eight-deck model with 5% commission on Banker wins, the Banker bet has a house edge of approximately 1.06%. That represents a negative expected return for the bettor, not a long-term profit.

Commission-free versions may change settlements, such as paying half profit on a winning Banker total of 6 or pushing a winning three-card Banker 7. These are different rules and should not be treated as interchangeable. A betting sequence or previous-results display cannot override the drawing table.

Related Rules and References

See the complete third-card rules, baccarat probability and house-edge explanation and commission and commission-free differences. This explanation covers standard punto banco, rather than player-banked variants with different decisions.

Canadian readers should check the published rules of the specific venue or authorised service for local application, optional bets and payout conditions. A game name alone does not establish its current availability or rule configuration.

Explore the full section: baccarat rules and table mechanics.