What are baccarat side bets?
Baccarat side bets are optional wagers placed alongside your main Banker or Player bet. They pay based on specific characteristics of the hand — card combinations, pairs, or the margin of the winning hand — and typically carry much higher house edges than the main bets.
Common baccarat side bets
The Pair bet pays if either the Player or Banker is dealt two identical cards (same rank and suit, in most versions same rank across any suits). It typically pays 11:1. Dragon Bonus pays based on the margin of the winning hand — a win by 9 points pays the highest, often 30:1. Big and Small bets cover whether the total number of cards dealt will be 4 or 5-6. Lucky 6 pays if Banker wins with a hand of exactly 6.
House edges on side bets
Pair bets carry a house edge of around 10-11% in most 8-deck games. Dragon Bonus ranges from 2.7% to 9.4% depending on how it’s structured. These compare badly to the 1.06% on Banker. Side bets add excitement and the potential for larger single-round payouts, but the long-run cost is significant. They’re best treated as occasional entertainment rather than part of a regular betting approach.