Baccarat Glossary and Terminology 

Action

A common term in gambling. Action refers to the total amount wagered during a gambling session. In contrast, an action refers to a current event in a gambling session.

Baccarat 

This is the worst possible hand in a gambling session. The word "Baccarat" means zero in Italian. Thus, a baccarat is when your hand value is zero.

Banco 

This refers to a player dealing the cards or possesses the shoe in Baccarat.

Banker Bet 

A type of bet selected by the players. In a banker bet, a five percent commission is deducted from the bet that wins, despite a 1:1 payout.

Banque

A Baccarat variant common in many casinos in Europe. It is played using two combined tables. In a Banque, the dealer sits in the middle and plays against two players simultaneously. In addition to this, players can make multiple bets on different hands in Banque. Also, stakes in a Banque are usually high when compared to other Baccarat variants.

Bankroll 

The amount of money spent in a gambling session.

Burn Card 

In most land-based casinos, burn cards are the first few cards in the shoe, and are usually removed from play.

Burning

Another term for burn cards. This is the act of discarding the first few cards from a freshly shuffled deck before the game starts.

Caller 

A casino employee responsible for calling the points, turning the cards, and dealing with additional cards.

Carte 

It's a way of asking for more cards from the dealer. It is a french word that means "hit me."

Cheques 

Cheques are chips for playing Baccarat. It's a commonly used term in land-based casinos.

Chemin De Fer 

Also called European Baccarat, the Chemin De Fer enables a player to deal cards and act as the bank while taking bets. Other players on the table must wager on the player's hand. Chemin De Fer is quite common in most land-based casinos in Europe. The stakes are relatively high in Chemin De Fer.

Cheval 

A Cheval is a type of bet played by two players. In a Cheval, the bet is a win when both players win. On the other hand, it is regarded as a loss when both players lose. Furthermore, it's a standoff when only one player wins.

Commission 

A percentage deduction on a player's win on a bet. Baccarat commissions are usually five percent. These commissions ensure casinos have a house edge.

Coup 

A French term used to describe a round in Baccarat.

Croupier 

Another name for a dealer. A croupier supervises the action at a table. Also croupiers enforce the rules, and control the betting, shuffling, and winnings in a game.

Cut 

To split a freshly shuffled deck into two stacks. Dealers cut a deck to get a proper shuffle.

Cut Card 

A plastic card for hiding cards while cutting a deck.

Dealer 

A person responsible for passing out cards to players at the table. In some Baccarat variants, the dealer is a player responsible for shuffling and passing out cards.

Delux Tableau 

Another name for Baccarat en Banque.

Discard Tray 

A container for all discarded cards during burning.

Down Cards 

Also referred to as face-down or hole cards.

Dragon Bonus 

A side bet that enables active players to place a bet on another player or banker. Most times, a player wagers on winning hand. It is also regarded as a sucker bet since it favors the house more than the player.

Edge Sorting 

A technique for determining card values by noting little pattern differences on the back of cards. Card manufacturing processes cause minor defects in cards that help players to identify face-down cards. Furthermore, players are not accountable for using edge sorting since it is a casino's responsibility to ensure their cards are uniform.

Face Cards 

Cards that have portraits of characters imprinted on them. In Baccarat, face cards have zero values. Face cards include Jokers, Kings and Queens.

Fading 

A term for placing a bet against someone. It's a widely used term in land-based casinos.

Flat Bet 

This is when a player bets the same amount of money for both winning or losing hands.

Hand 

These are the cards played in one round of Baccarat.

High Roller 

A player who bets only high amounts of money.

House Edge 

A casino's profit margin on every round, irrespective of the outcome of the game.

Ladderman 

This is another name for a croupier. A ladderman is a land-casino employee who supervises a baccarat game.

Layout 

These are the sections on a typical Baccarat table. The layout typically contains sections for boxes and betting.

Loss Bet 

A loss bet is a bet against the bank. Players have a little to no chance of winning against the bank due to the house edge advantage.

La Grande 

A situation when a natural nine is scored with the first two cards. A La Grande is the best hand in baccarat, followed by a La Petite.

La Petite 

The second-best hand in baccarat. A La Petite occurs when a natural right is scored with the first two cards.

Live Dealer Baccarat 

A live-streamed baccarat game that allows online players to play with a human dealer working from a dedicated studio in a land-based casino.

Match Play 

Casino provide match play promotions at least once to players in a game.

Mini Baccarat 

A popular variant of baccarat in North American countries and other Non-European places. Betting options in a mini-baccarat includes the following: some bets, a tie, and the player and banker's hand. In a mini baccarat, the casino employee is the dealer.

Monkey 

A slang for describing a ten or face card in baccarat.

Muck 

This refers to all eight deck cards, each containing 52 cards. Thus, a muck contains a total of 412 cards. In some table games, a muck is a pile of discarded cards.

Natural 

A natural is a popular term in baccarat, and it occurs when the first two cards in a hand are equal to 8 or 9. Thus, a natural ends a round. Casinos hand out payouts to the winners after a natural.

Palette 

A long flat stick for moving cards on the table. Croupiers or dealers use a palette to move cards without touching them.

Pass

A win in baccarat.

Pit 

A section in a land-based casino for reserved for high roller and bets with a high stake.

Player

This refers to a betting option or one of the hands in the game. Note that the term "players" does not refer to the participants.

Player Bet 

Betting on the possibility that a player's hand will beat bankers'. You don't need to pay a commission on winning a player bet. A player bet is the second-best wager and it may contain a house edge of 1.24 percent.

Punto

A French word for a player in baccarat.

Punto Banco

A variation of baccarat in online casino games. A Punto Banco has almost the same rules as mini-baccarat.

Push 

Another name for a tie: not a winning or losing bet. Some tables regard a tie as a loss.

Railroad

Another name for Chemin De Fer.

Run

A side bet for placing bets on multiple hands.

Shoe

A machine that deals cards automatically.

Shuffle Up

This is when an early shuffling of the cards by a dealer.

Standoff

A situation in which a player and the bank have the same hand value.

Streak

Having the same results consecutively.

Super Pan Nine 

This is a variation of Baccarat in which one player acts as the bank, and all players are dealt three hands-don cards.

Tie: 

A tie is one of the possible outcomes in Baccarat. Both the bank and player get their wagers back in a tie.

Upcard

A face-up card.

Vigorish

The casino's percentage from a bet payout in baccarat.