Baccarat is one of the best online casino games in terms of odds. It has one of the lowest house advantages of almost all casino table games, which undoubtedly contributes to its popularity in online and in-person casinos.
While the low house advantage and excellent odds make it one of the more attractive casino games for high-stakes players, even the most ardent baccarat fan will admit that the game can get a little monotonous when played regularly.
Luckily, there are a few ways to make the game a little more interesting, and one of the most exciting options is the baccarat dragon bonus. Take a closer look at what the dragon bonus in baccarat is all about, how to use it, and some strategies on how to bet with it.
What Is the Dragon Bonus in Baccarat?
Before rushing into the dragon bonus side bet, it’s important to understand how to play baccarat, especially if you’re new to casino games or you’re used to playing games like online poker or blackjack.
How Is Baccarat Played?
Baccarat is one of the most straightforward casino games out there. You place a bet on whether you think the banker or the player will have a hand closest to nine. At the start of each hand, the dealer deals two face-down cards to both the banker and the player. They turn over their cards, and the one with the cards closest to the number nine wins. If the number is more than 10, only the first number is counted.
Baccarat counts cards one (ace) through to nine at face value, so five counts as five, and a three is a three. 10s and face cards count as zero.
For example, the banker gets a three and a five, so they end up with eight. The player is dealt a seven and an eight, which means they have 15. The five drops off the end, and they will only have one. The banker wins this hand as eight is closer to nine than one.
There is a complicated set of rules about a tie in baccarat, but you don’t need to worry about this right now, as the dealer handles all of it.
The Dragon Bonus Side Bet
Now that you know the rules and, most importantly, how the cards are added up in a baccarat game, you can understand the dragon bonus bet.
Simply put, you are wagering on the gap between the banker and the player’s hands. If you take the above example, where the banker won eight to one over the player, the gap would be seven (8-1=7). In this case, the 7-point win gives you a payout of six to one.
The bigger the gap between the two hands, the bigger the payout.
Baccarat Dragon Bonus Odds and Payouts
Anything less than a four-point gap is not considered a win in the dragon bonus bet. Here is how this side bet pays out according to gap size:
| OUTCOME | PAYOUT |
| Win By 9 Points | 30-1 |
| Win By 8 Points | 10-1 |
| Win By 7 Points | 6-1 |
| Win By 6 Points | 4-1 |
| Win By 5 Points | 2-1 |
| Win By 4 Points | 1-1 |
| Natural Winner | 1-1 |
| Natural Tie | Push |
What Is a Natural?
If you’re new to baccarat, you might not know what a natural is. Simply put, a natural is the best hand you can get in the game. A natural is when one of the hands is a nine and a face card (0 value), giving you exactly nine points. The dragon bonus allows for a push on the natural tie, which means your wager will be held for the next hand.
Baccarat Dragon Bonus Strategy
If you’re trying to figure out how to be a better baccarat player, understanding more about baccarat strategy will help. There are only a few options for strategy in this scenario.
You can bet with or against your main baccarat bet with a dragon bonus bet.
If you want to double down on your main bet and increase your payout should you win both, bet alongside your main bet. So if you bet on the player winning the hand, place your dragon bonus bet on the player’s gap, too.
However, if you want to make your bankroll go a little further and you’d like to hedge your bet, you can bet against your main bet. This means that should your main bet lose, you can still win or, at the very least, lose less money.
If you’re a risk taker, the first option will be your best, while the second option is better for those looking for something a little safer.
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