Baccarat Side Bets: Pairs, Dragon Bonus and More
Baccarat’s main bets have house edges of 1.06% (Banker) and 1.24% (Player). Side bets offer larger payouts, from 5:1 to 200:1, at a much higher cost: between 2.65% and 14.36% for the common versions. All figures on this page were calculated by exact enumeration of an 8-deck shoe using the paytables shown. Paytables vary between providers, so check the game’s help screen and recalculate if it differs. This page is part of our baccarat guide.
Summary Table (8 Decks)
| Side bet | Wins when | Payout | Probability | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Bonus (Player) | Player wins by margin, or with a natural | 1:1 to 30:1 | — | 2.65% |
| Tie (9:1 tables) | Totals are equal | 9:1 | 9.52% | 4.84% |
| Dragon 7 (EZ Baccarat) | Banker wins with a three-card 7 | 40:1 | 2.25% | 7.61% |
| Perfect Pair | Either hand’s first two cards are an identical pair | 25:1 (one hand), 200:1 (both) | 3.32% / 0.03% | 8.05% |
| Dragon Bonus (Banker) | Banker wins by margin, or with a natural | 1:1 to 30:1 | — | 9.37% |
| Panda 8 (EZ Baccarat) | Player wins with a three-card 8 | 25:1 | 3.45% | 10.19% |
| Player Pair / Banker Pair | That hand’s first two cards are a pair | 11:1 | 7.47% | 10.36% |
| Either Pair | Either hand’s first two cards are a pair | 5:1 | 14.38% | 13.71% |
| Tie (8:1 tables) | Totals are equal | 8:1 | 9.52% | 14.36% |
Pair Bets
Player Pair / Banker Pair (11:1). With 8 decks, after the first card is dealt, 31 of the remaining 415 cards match its rank. Probability = 31/415 = 7.47%. Expected value per A$1 = 7.47% × 12 − 1 = −10.36%.
Either Pair (5:1). Wins if the Player or Banker hand (or both) starts with a pair. Probability 14.38%; expected value −13.71%.
Perfect Pair (25:1 / 200:1). Wins on a same-rank, same-suit pair in either hand; 200:1 if both hands have one. With 8 decks each card has 7 identical copies among the remaining 415 cards. The house edge with this paytable is 8.05%.
Checking a Different Paytable
For any single-outcome bet, expected value = probability × (payout + 1) − 1. The break-even payout is (1 ÷ probability) − 1:
| Bet | Probability | Break-even payout | Common payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player Pair | 7.47% | 12.39:1 | 11:1 |
| Either Pair | 14.38% | 5.95:1 | 5:1 |
| Tie | 9.52% | 9.51:1 | 8:1 or 9:1 |
Any payout below the break-even figure carries a house edge; the further below, the higher the edge.
Dragon Bonus
A bet on the margin of victory for Player or Banker. Common paytable:
| Result | Pays |
|---|---|
| Win with a natural | 1:1 |
| Natural tie | Push |
| Non-natural win by 9 | 30:1 |
| Non-natural win by 8 | 10:1 |
| Non-natural win by 7 | 6:1 |
| Non-natural win by 6 | 4:1 |
| Non-natural win by 5 | 2:1 |
| Non-natural win by 4 | 1:1 |
| Any other result | Loses |
With this paytable the house edge is 2.65% on the Player side and 9.37% on the Banker side. The difference comes from the third-card rules: Banker wins more often, but by smaller margins, and the paytable rewards large margins. Dragon Bonus on Player is the cheapest side bet listed here and still costs more than twice the Banker main bet.
EZ Baccarat Side Bets
EZ Baccarat is a no-commission version in which a Banker win with a three-card total of 7 pushes the Banker bet. It adds two side bets:
- Dragon 7 pays 40:1 when the Banker wins with a three-card 7. Probability 2.25%; house edge 7.61%.
- Panda 8 pays 25:1 when the Player wins with a three-card 8. Probability 3.45%; house edge 10.19%.
The main Banker bet in EZ Baccarat has a lower edge than standard no-commission tables, about 1.02%.
What Side Bets Add per Hour
Assume 60 hands per hour, A$20 on Banker, plus a A$5 side bet each hand.
| Side bet | Extra staked/hour | Extra expected loss/hour | Total expected loss/hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | — | — | A$12.72 |
| Dragon Bonus (Player) | A$300 | A$7.95 | A$20.67 |
| Perfect Pair | A$300 | A$24.15 | A$36.87 |
| Player Pair | A$300 | A$31.08 | A$43.80 |
| Either Pair | A$300 | A$41.13 | A$53.85 |
| Tie at 8:1 | A$300 | A$43.08 | A$55.80 |
A A$5 pair bet more than triples the hourly cost of a A$20 Banker player while adding only 25% to the amount staked.
Can Side Bets Be Beaten?
Pair and Tie bets are more sensitive to the cards already dealt than the main bets, and card-counting analyses show small advantages can arise late in a shoe. In practice, live tables usually reshuffle well before the end of the shoe, the advantages are rare and short-lived, and RNG games reshuffle every round. For players, the practical conclusion is to skip side bets or treat them as a fixed entertainment cost. Strategy for the main bets is on our baccarat strategy page.
Before Placing a Side Bet
- Open the paytable and RTP in the game’s help screen.
- Compare the RTP with the main bets (Banker 98.94%, Player 98.76%).
- Check bonus terms: side bets usually do not count towards wagering and may be restricted (game weighting).
- Decide a fixed side-bet budget separate from your main stake (budgeting tips).
The main-bet figures are on the baccarat odds page. For comparison with another table game’s side bets, see blackjack side bets.
Frequently Asked Questions
10.36% for Player Pair or Banker Pair at 11:1 with 8 decks, and 13.71% for Either Pair at 5:1.
Of the common bets, Dragon Bonus on the Player side at 2.65% with the standard paytable. It is still more than twice the Banker main bet.
It pays according to the winning margin: up to 30:1 for a non-natural win by 9, and 1:1 for a natural win. Natural ties push.
EZ Baccarat side bets. Dragon 7 pays 40:1 when Banker wins with a three-card 7 (7.61% house edge); Panda 8 pays 25:1 when Player wins with a three-card 8 (10.19%).
It is listed on the main layout, but its cost is side-bet level: 14.36% at 8:1 and 4.84% at 9:1.
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