Baccarat Glossary: Cards, Drawing Rules and Payout Terms

This glossary explains common baccarat terms for Canadian readers. Definitions focus on standard punto banco unless a different variant is named. A term alone does not establish a particular game’s payout, availability or regulatory status.

For a complete rules explanation, see baccarat rules. The variants guide distinguishes formats with different settlements.

Core Gameplay Terminology

• Baccarat: A family of card games comparing hand totals. In punto banco, only the final digit of the card-value sum counts, producing totals from 0 to 9.
• Banco: The label associated with the Banker hand in punto banco. The bettor backing it does not choose its drawing decisions.
• Banker Bet: A wager on the Banker hand. Under a conventional eight-deck model with 5% commission on wins, its house edge is approximately 1.06%; different settlements change that figure.
• Bankroll: The total amount of money a player has set aside specifically for their gaming session.
• Burning: Removing cards from play according to the dealing procedure. The number and timing depend on the rules; burning alone does not prove game integrity.
• Call: The act of the dealer or “croupier” announcing the totals of the hands (e.g., “Five Player, Seven Banker”).
• Commission: A deduction from qualifying winnings. Conventional baccarat commonly deducts 5% from Banker profit, but the rate, collection method and alternatives are rules-specific.
• Coup: A French term used to describe a single round of baccarat, consisting of one deal for the Player and Banker.
• Croupier: The French term for the dealer. In high-end and live dealer baccarat, the person managing the table is often called the croupier.
• Cut Card: A marker used in cutting or marking a shoe. The dealing procedure specifies when play stops or the cards are reshuffled after the marker is reached.

Card Values and Hand Rankings

• Face Cards: Kings, Queens, and Jacks. In baccarat, all face cards have a value of zero.
• La Grande: The best possible hand in baccarat, consisting of a “Natural” 9.
• La Petite: The second-best hand, consisting of a “Natural” 8.
• Natural: A hand that totals 8 or 9 using only the first two cards dealt. If a natural occurs, the round ends immediately.
• Punto: The label associated with the Player hand in punto banco; it is not a literal Spanish translation of “player.”
• Tableau: The fixed set of rules that determines whether the Player or Banker must draw a third card.

Baccarat Slang and Betting Terms

• Action: A general gambling term referring to the total amount of money wagered during a session.
• Flat Bet: A strategy where a player wagers the same amount on every hand, regardless of wins or losses.
• House Edge: Expected loss expressed as a percentage of stakes under a specified probability and payout model. It is not a maximum loss or session forecast. See baccarat odds and return.
• Monkey: A popular slang term used by players (especially in live chat or land-based pits) when they want a ten or a face card (value of zero) to be drawn.
• Shoe: The container that holds the multiple decks of cards (usually 6 or 8) from which the dealer draws.
• Squeeze: Slowly revealing a card physically or through an interface effect. The reveal does not change the card’s identity.
• Push: A settlement that returns the stake without profit. A particular variant may push an outcome that would be a win under other rules.
• Tie: Equal final totals. Under conventional rules, Player and Banker stakes are returned, while a separately staked Tie bet is settled at its stated payout. In an eight-deck model, 8:1 and 9:1 Tie payouts have different house edges.

Side Bets and Result Displays

• Dragon Bonus: A side-bet name associated with victory margins and natural-hand conditions. The precise qualifying outcomes and payouts depend on the paytable.
• Panda 8: A side-bet name associated with a winning three-card Player total of 8. It is a separate stake with its own payout rules.
• Dragon 7: A side-bet name associated with a winning three-card Banker total of 7. It is distinct from EZ Baccarat’s main-bet push on that result.
• Roadmaps: Displays such as the Big Road and Bead Plate that record previous outcomes. A visible pattern is not a guarantee or demonstrated forecast of the next result.

Related Definitions

The commission comparison explains settlement exceptions, and the balance and turnover guide distinguishes funds available from the total amount staked. WinnerOnline provides information and does not host baccarat games.

Explore the full section: baccarat betting systems and risks.