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Baccarat Appendix 6 — Commission Free Baccarat

Last Update: Sep 19, 2010

The page covers various variants of commission free baccarat I have seen or heard of. Here is a list:

EZ Baccarat
Commission Free Baccarat — U.K. variant
Commission Free Baccarat — Amsterdam variant
Commission Free Baccarat — Philippines variant
Commission Free Baccarat — Singapore variant
Commission Free Baccarat — Mystery variant

EZ Baccarat

On July 3, 2004, at the Plaza in Las Vegas I observed a no-commission baccarat game called EZ Baccarat.In April, 2008, I saw it at the Paris casino in Las Vegas. In November, 2008, I saw it at the Barona casino in California. Another reader reported in May 2010 that all the Trump casinos in Atlantic City have the game.

The rules followed standard baccarat except on the banker bet: (1) all wins pay even money, and (2) if the banker wins with a 3-card total of 7 then the banker bet will push. In addition, there is a "Dragon Bet" on a three card winning banker hand of 7 points that paid 40 to 1.

The following table shows the possible outcomes of the banker bet, based on six decks. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 1.02%

EZ Baccarat
Event	Combinations	Probability	Pays	Return
Banker win	383290367308416	0.436118	1	0.436118
Normal tie	83552962932288	0.095069	0	0
Banker 3-card 7 win	19805383926144	0.022535	0	0
Player win	392220492728832	0.446279	-1	-0.446279
Total	878869206895680	1		-0.010161

With a probability of winning of 2.2535%, the house edge on the Dragon Bet is 7.61%.

I had a false report that at the Canterbury Park casino in Shokopee, MN the banker bet loses on a 3-card 7. If that was the case, then the house edge on the banker bet would be 3.27%.

U.K. Variant

This variant of baccarat follows the conventional rules, except a winning banker bets pays even money, except 1 to 2 (half) on a winning total of six. The house edge on the player and tie bets are the same as regular baccarat. The house edge on the banker bet is 1.46%. This game is called "Punto Banco 2000" in England, and just "Commission Free Baccarat" in the United States.

Commission Free Baccarat — Banker Win on 6 pays 1 to 2
Event	Combinations	Probability	Pays	Return
Banker wins 1-1	2023020261982210	0.404734	1	0.404734
Banker wins 1-2	269232304455680	0.053864	0.5	0.026932
Player wins	2230518282592260	0.446247	-1	-0.446247
Tie	475627426473216	0.095156	0	0
Total	4998398275503360	1		-0.014581

The Pala casino in San Diego offers two side bets in this game, the Lucky Bonus and 3-card 6.

Philippines variant

I have an unconfirmed report that in the Philippines they offer Commission Free Baccarat, except banker wins pay as follows:

Banker has 7, player has 4, pays 2 to 1.
Banker has 7, player has 0-3, 5, or 6 pays 1 to 2.
All other banker wins pay 1 to 1.

The table below shows a house edge of 1.23% on the Banker bet.

Win	Probability	Return
EZ Baccarat — Philippines Variant
2	0.009198	0.018396
1	0.381717	0.381717
0.5	0.067682	0.033841
0	0.095156	0
-1	0.446247	-0.446247
Total	1	-0.012292

Singapore Variant

I have an unconfirmed report that in Singapore they offer Commission Free Baccarat, in which Banker wins of 8 pay 1 to 2. Another reader denies this, saying they follow the U.K. rules in Singapore. Regardless of what they do in Singapore, the following table shows a house edge of 4.07% on the Banker bet if a win on 8 pays 1 to 2.

Win	Probability	Return
Commission Free Baccarat — Banker Win on 8 pays 1 to 2
1	0.352581	0.352581
0.5	0.106017	0.053008
0	0.095156	0
-1	0.446247	-0.446247
Total	1	-0.040658

Amsterdam Variant

I have had two reports that in Amsterdam they offer Commission Free Baccarat, in which Banker wins of 5 pay 1 to 2. The table below shows a house edge of 0.93% on the Banker bet.

Win	Probability	Return
Commission Free Baccarat — Amsterdam Variant
1	0.415240	0.41524
0.5	0.043357	0.021679
0	0.095156	0
-1	0.446247	-0.446247
Total	1	-0.009328

Mystery Variant

I once heard of a baccarat variant where both player and banker hit on 5 or less. Sorry, I don't know the name or where it can be found. Here are the full rules.

Banker or player 8 or 9 is a natural, neither hand draws.
Both banker and player stand on 6 and 7, draw on 0 to 5.
All wins pay even money except winning 3, which is a push.
Ties push

The following tables show the possible outcomes of either banker or player bet.

Mystery Variant
Event	Combinations	Probability	Pays	Return
Win	384732321058944	0.437758	1	0.437758
Loss	398265579972864	0.453157	-1	-0.453157
Tie	82338046949952	0.093686	0	0
Winning 3	13533258913920	0.015398	0	0
Total	878869206895680	1	0	-0.015398

The lower right cell shows a house edge of 1.54% on both banker and player bets.

Other Baccarat Pages

Go back to baccarat
Go to baccarat appendix 1
Go to baccarat appendix 2
Go to baccarat appendix 3
Go to baccarat appendix 4
Go to baccarat appendix 5
Go to baccarat appendix 7