Banker bet

Definition

The banker bet (*banco*) is a bet that **the banker's hand wins**. It is mathematically the best of baccarat's three bets, with a house edge of typically around **1.06%** — one of the lowest available in a casino at all.

## Why the banker's hand wins more often

The reason lies in the third-card rules. The banker's hand decides on a third card **after** the player's hand has made its decision, and that small informational advantage gives the banker roughly 50.7% of decided hands.

The casino cannot hand that advantage to the player for nothing, which is why a [commission](/glossary/komisjonitasu) — usually 5% — is taken from a banker win. The payout is 1:1 less the commission.

## Does the commission make it worse

No. Even after a 5% commission the banker bet is **better** than the player bet (1.06% versus 1.24%). This calculation is often done wrongly: the commission is taken only from a win, not from every stake, so its effect is smaller than the percentage first suggests.

## The practical rule

In baccarat the entire strategy is one sentence: **bet on the banker and avoid the [tie bet](/glossary/viigipanus)**. There is nothing more, because no decisions are made in [Punto Banco](/glossary/punto-banco). Pattern-tracking and systems do not change the house edge, because each deal is independent.