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**Introduction**
Whether you're new to baccarat or a seasoned player, understanding the terminology is essential to improving your gameplay and communication at the table. Baccarat has its own language—many of the terms are derived from French and carry historical significance. This glossary-style article defines all the key terms you'll encounter in both online and land-based baccarat games.
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**A**
- **Action:** The total amount of money wagered over a period of time.
- **Ante:** Not used in baccarat but occasionally referred to in bonus or side games requiring a starting bet.
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**B**
- **Baccarat:** The name of the game and also the worst possible hand (zero value).
- **Baccarat Banque:** A variant of baccarat popular in Europe where the banker position is held by one player for the duration of the shoe.
- **Banker Bet:** A wager on the banker’s hand. Statistically the most favorable bet with the lowest house edge (~1.06%).
- **Bankroll:** The total amount of money a player has set aside for gambling.
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**C**
- **Chemin de Fer:** A traditional French version of baccarat where players take turns being the banker.
- **Commission:** A 5% fee typically charged on winning Banker bets.
- **Cut Card:** A plastic card placed in the shoe to signal when the next shuffle should occur.
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**D**
- **Dealer:** The person (or software) responsible for dealing cards and managing the game.
- **Draw:** A third card may be drawn according to the rules for either hand.
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**E**
- **Edge (House Edge):** The statistical advantage the casino has over the player.
- **Even Money:** A payout that returns the same amount as the wager (1:1).
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**F**
- **Face Cards:** Jacks, Queens, and Kings—all valued at zero in baccarat.
- **Fibonacci System:** A negative progression betting system using the Fibonacci sequence.
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**G**
- **Gambler’s Fallacy:** The mistaken belief that past events influence future outcomes in random games.
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**H**
- **Hand:** The two or three cards dealt to the Player or Banker side.
- **High Roller:** A player who wagers large sums, often in VIP rooms.
- **House Edge:** The built-in advantage of the casino over the player.
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**L**
- **Ladder System:** A form of progression betting where bets increase with each win or loss.
- **Live Dealer:** A real person dealing cards in a studio, streamed to online players in real time.
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**M**
- **Martingale System:** A betting system where the player doubles their bet after every loss.
- **Mini Baccarat:** A smaller-scale version of the game with lower betting limits and faster pace.
- **Muck:** The pile of used cards after each round.
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**N**
- **Natural:** A two-card total of 8 or 9. If either hand has a natural, no third card is drawn.
- **Negative Progression:** A betting system where wagers increase after losses.
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**P**
- **Paroli System:** A positive progression betting system where bets increase after wins.
- **Payout:** The return on a winning bet.
- **Player Bet:** A bet placed on the player’s hand. Pays 1:1 with a house edge of ~1.24%.
- **Point Total:** The value of a hand, calculated by adding the card values and using only the last digit.
- **Positive Progression:** Betting system where bets increase after a win.
- **Punto Banco:** The most common version of baccarat where the casino controls all actions.
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**R**
- **RNG (Random Number Generator):** Software used to ensure random outcomes in digital baccarat games.
- **Roadmaps:** Visual guides like Big Road, Big Eye Boy, Small Road, and Cockroach Pig used to track trends and outcomes.
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**S**
- **Shoe:** The device that holds and dispenses cards. Typically contains 6–8 decks.
- **Side Bets:** Optional bets placed on specific outcomes like pairs or totals.
- **Streak:** A series of consecutive wins or losses for a particular side.
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**T**
- **Table Limit:** The minimum and maximum amounts that can be wagered at a baccarat table.
- **Third Card Rule:** A set of predefined rules that determine whether a third card is drawn.
- **Tie Bet:** A wager that the Player and Banker hands will result in the same total. Pays 8:1 or 9:1 but has a high house edge.
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**U**
- **Up Card:** Not applicable in baccarat but often mentioned in reference to face-up cards in other games.
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**V**
- **VIP Baccarat:** High-stakes baccarat offered in exclusive areas with higher limits and amenities.
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**W**
- **Wager:** Another term for a bet.
- **Win Rate:** The percentage of hands a side wins over time.
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**Conclusion**
Understanding baccarat terminology helps build confidence, allows better communication with dealers and fellow players, and enhances your ability to follow strategies and rules. Whether you’re at a land-based casino or playing online, having this glossary in mind will make your baccarat sessions smoother and more enjoyable.
In the next article, we’ll explore live dealer baccarat—how it works, where to play, and what to expect.