Mini Baccarat is a popular variant of baccarat, played on a smaller table than other versions of the game. It’s widely available at brick-and-mortar casinos and the best baccarat sites.
Even if you’re a total newcomer, Mini Baccarat is fairly simple to learn. There are three betting options to choose from, and you can take advantage of the Dragon Bonus side bet at online casino sites, too.
How does Mini Baccarat work? What are the three betting options? Are there any Mini Baccarat tips you need to know before you play?
Keep reading our Mini Baccarat Beginner’s Guide to find out!
Mini Baccarat Basics
Mini Baccarat is played at a table with up to seven players and one dealer. As with standard baccarat, Mini Baccarat uses eight decks of cards. The aim of Mini Baccarat is to get your hand to add up to nine or closer to nine than the banker’s hand.
Cards have the following values in Mini Baccarat:
- The 10, king, queen, and jack are counted as 0.
- Ace cards are worth 1.
- All other cards count as their respective numbers (e.g. a 2 of clubs is worth 2).
When the cards in a hand add up to more than 9, the first number of the total is removed and the second number becomes the overall score. For example, if a player holds a 5 and a 7, the total is 2 rather than 12.
To start a game of Mini Baccarat, the dealer takes four cards from the shoe and deals them face-down: two for the player, two for the banker. The player’s cards are revealed first, followed by the banker’s. The dealer then announces the value of each hand.
If either hand is worth 8 or 9 (a “Natural”), the player “stands” and the dealer draws no more cards for them. But if neither party has a natural, the dealer draws an extra card for both the player and banker. Third cards are dealt face-up.
The hand with a score closest to 9 wins. However, both hands may have the same value, which will create a tie.
Mini Baccarat Rules
As with any other game, both the player and dealer must follow specific Mini Baccarat rules at the table (real or virtual). These rules determine the actions that either party can take throughout the game.
Player Rules
According to Mini Baccarat rules, players may or may not receive a third card depending on the total value of their first two cards.
| Total value of player’s first two cards | Action |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 0 | Draw a third card |
| 6, 7 | Stand |
| 8, 9 | Natural (stand) |
Banker Rules
| Total value of banker’s first two cards | Banker draws if the player’s third card is | Banker never draws if the player’s third card is |
| 3 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 0 | 8 |
| 4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | 1, 8, 9, 0 |
| 5 | 4, 5, 6, 7 | 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 0 |
| 6 | 6, 7 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 0 |
| 7 | Stand | Stand |
| 8, 9 | Natural (stand) | Natural (stand) |
Mini Baccarat Betting Options
When you play Mini Baccarat online, you can bet on three outcomes:
- The player’s hand wins
- The banker’s hand wins
- The player and banker tie
You need to place your bet before the cards are drawn and dealt. Bets win under the following conditions:
- A bet on the player’s hand wins if the player’s total score is higher than the banker’s.
- A bet on the banker’s hand wins if the banker’s total score is higher than the player’s.
- A bet on a tie wins if both hands are equal.
Casinos pay even money (1:1) for winning bets placed on the player or banker’s hand. However, a 5% commission is applied to all winning bets on the banker’s hand. Winning bets on a tie are paid 8:1.
Baccarat Game Token
What is the Dragon Bonus?
The Dragon Bonus is an optional side bet in Mini Baccarat. You can place a Dragon Bonus wager alongside your standard bet on the banker or player.
You’ll win the Dragon Bonus if the hand you bet on is a Natural, or wins by four or more points.
To make a Dragon Bonus side bet, just place your bet in the designated area on a Mini Baccarat table. As payouts for non-Natural wins with the Dragon Bonus can be generous, this side bet is part of many players’ Mini Baccarat strategy.
The Dragon Bonus offers the following payouts:
| Naturals | Payouts |
| Natural winners | 1 to 1 |
| Natural ties | Push (bet is returned) |
| Non-Naturals | Payouts |
| Wins by 9 points | 30 to 1 |
| Wins by 8 points | 10 to 1 |
| Wins by 6 or 7 points | 4 to 1 |
| Wins by 4 or 5 points | 2 to 1 |
Mini Baccarat Conclusion
Mini Baccarat is an exciting game with easy-to-learn rules, three betting options, and an optional Dragon Bonus side bet with the potential for impressive payouts. You’ll find Mini Baccarat at many online casinos, alongside other baccarat variants.
Wherever you play, though, remember to always gamble responsibly. Set a betting limit before you play Mini Baccarat online (or any other game), and only wager what you can realistically afford to lose.
Not sure which online casino is best for playing Mini Baccarat? Check out Gambling Zone’s guides to the Best Online Casino Sites and Best Live Casino Sites for inspiration!
