Michael | Last updated on: March 11th, 2025
Baccarat is more than just a game. It’s an art that has been around for hundreds of years and has evolved to become one of the most popular casino games in the world. But with its popularity comes a lot of terminologies, some of which you might be unfamiliar with. The language of baccarat may also be confusing for new and experienced players alike. To help you learn and understand the game online, we have put together this baccarat terms and concepts resource.
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Common Baccarat Phrases
Baccarat is a casino game that has been around since the early 18th century. The first baccarat game was played in France, and it became accepted as a card game throughout Europe during the 19th century. Today, Baccarat is one of the most popular games in casinos, and some even refer to it as “The Banker’. Below are common terms used to describe its features and rules.
Action
In baccarat, this term has two meanings. Either the amount of money wagered during a round. Alternatively, it can refer to the action happening at any point during the round.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a popular card game played online. The game aims to beat the banker or have a hand with a value closest to 9, but not more than 9. Players have three options: they can either settle with the banker or bet on their hand or a tie result.
Banco
A Spanish term meaning bank. In baccarat, it can refer to a variant of baccarat or the betting option “banker”. In French, it is known as Banque.
Banker Bet
One of three bets you can make in a game of baccarat. Wining with this bet will pay 1:1, and you will have to pay a 5% commission fee on your winnings.
Bankroll
The amount of money you have to spend on baccarat bets.
Banque
A baccarat variant with a fixed bank that is controlled by the house. In this game, players can auction for the position of the banker by placing the largest bet on the table. In this game, players also have the option to place multiple bets.
Burn Card
The action of the first cards being placed in a shoe before the hand is dealt.
Caller
A person responsible for the cards on the table in bricks and mortar casinos.
Carte
A French term to request another card from the dealer.
Chemin De Fer
A popular baccarat game is also known as European Baccarat. In this game, players can take on the role of the dealer and handle all bets.
Commission
Despite its low house edge, Baccarat has a 5% commission on winning bank bets.
Coup
The term is of French origin and refers to a round of Baccarat where the banker has one hand, and the player has the other.
Cut
Once the cards have been shuffled, cut means to divide them in half before combining them again.
Cut Card
When the cards have been shuffled, this special plastic card is used to cut them.
Dealer
The person responsible for drawing the cards. Players or the dealer may do this.
Discard Tray
The discard tray is available in most table games. It holds all cards that have been played or discarded for some reason.
Down Card
A down card is a card that has been dealt face down for no one to see. It is also called a hole-card.
Dragon Bonus
A side bet that wins if the chosen bet wins by 4 points.
Face Cards
This term is used for all the cards that have a portrait on them, including Jacks, Queens and Kings of any suit.
Flat Bet
A punter that places the same amount no matter if the hand is winning or losing.
House Edge
The house edge is the advantage the casino has over the player. Basically, it’s a built-in margin that ensures a profit for the casino regardless of how hands are played out.
Ladderman
One of the three people who run the game of Baccarat.
La Grande
Refers to a natural 9 in baccarat.
La Petite
Refers to a natural 8 in baccarat.
Marker
If you want to borrow money from the casino, you need to sign a marker. Players who say they want to pay off their markers mean they want to pay back the borrowed amount.
Mini Baccarat
A smaller baccarat table that can host up to seven players. Additionally, Mini-Baccarat is known for its more reasonable table limits and faster pace, so the variation is favored by mass players. If you play in a land-based casino, the cards will be dealt face down, but the cards are dealt face up in online Mini-Baccarat.
Monkey
The term is used to refer to a ten or face card.
Muck
At the beginning of shuffling, eight cards decks containing 52 cards each are used.
Natural
A total of eight or nine based on the two cards dealt with you.
Palette
When playing Baccarat, the croupiers move the cards with this long wooden stick.
Player
Three different bets are available in Baccarat, including a player bet. There is an advantage for the house of a bit more than 1% on player bets. This is the opposite of banker bets. A player in baccarat is called a Punter.
Pass
This is a win.
Punto
Another term for a player.
Punto Banco
Punto Banco is a variation of Baccarat that is extremely widespread around the world. The term Punto Banco means player banker in English, and the game derives the rules of mini-baccarat.
Push
Pushes are bets that neither win nor lose. Your stake is carried forward to the next round.
Random Number Generator
Online baccarat casinos use an automated algorithm to shuffle the cards and ensure all game outcomes are fair.
Run
A side bet allows you to bet on a series of hands.
Shills
An employee of a casino who is responsible for luring players into playing baccarat.
Shoe
Automated dealing machines eliminate the risk of accidents caused by manual dealing. Each shoe holds six or eight decks of cards. On the online version of Baccarat, the shoe will be displayed on the table, and the cards will be dealt from it.
Shooter
Another term used to describe the banker.
Shuffle Up
An early shuffling of the cards by the dealer.
Skill
Generally used to indicate a good run by a player.
Standoff
Another term for a tie result.
Table of Play
How a third card may be awarded to the players.
Tie
This is one of three possible bets. In the event of a tie, both the banker and the player get their bets back. When betting on a tie, you will receive an 8:1 or 9:1 payout if you win. The house edge for tie bets, however, exceeds 14%.
Upcard
A card dealt face up for everyone at the table to see.
