Tiger Baccarat tables call a Banker win with a total of 6 the tiger, and build a whole layout of side bets around it. Casinos in Las Vegas, Singapore and Macau deal it. Tiger Six Baccarat is our version of that table. The main game is classic Punto Banco with the 5% commission. Below it sit five side bets that pay when the tiger shows up, or when a pair does.
How to play
Main bets. Player pays 1 to 1, Banker pays 0.95 to 1, Tie pays 8 to 1. If the hands tie, Player and Banker bets come back.
The five Tiger bets:
| Bet | Wins when | Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger | Banker wins with a total of 6 | 12 to 1 on two cards, 20 to 1 on three |
| Small Tiger | Banker wins with a two-card 6 | 22 to 1 |
| Big Tiger | Banker wins with a three-card 6 | 50 to 1 |
| Tiger Tie | The hands tie at 6 | 35 to 1 |
| Tiger Pair | A hand’s first two cards are a pair | 4 to 1 for one pair, 20 to 1 for pairs in both hands, 100 to 1 for the same pair in both (twin) |
A Banker 6 that ties or loses does not win any of the first three. Small Tiger and Big Tiger never win together: the 6 came on two cards or on three.
Chips come in 20, 100 and 500. Every spot takes up to 1,000 credits, in steps of 20.
The cards. Aces count 1, 2 to 9 count their pips, and tens and picture cards count 0. Only the last digit of a total matters, so 7 + 9 = 6. Two cards each go to Player and Banker. A total of 8 or 9 is a natural and nobody draws. Otherwise Player draws on 0 to 5, and Banker draws by the standard third-card table. The higher total wins.
How often the tiger appears
Each round dealt from a full eight-deck shoe:
| Event | About once in |
|---|---|
| Banker wins with a two-card 6 | 27 rounds |
| Banker wins with a three-card 6 | 60 rounds |
| Tie at 6 | 52 rounds |
What each bet costs
House edge, counted exactly over every possible deal from an eight-deck shoe:
| Bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Banker | 1.06% |
| Player | 1.24% |
| Small Tiger | 14.33% |
| Tie | 14.36% |
| Big Tiger | 15.25% |
| Tiger Pair | 16.12% |
| Tiger | 16.68% |
| Tiger Tie | 30.74% |
Strategy
Main bets for the long session, Tiger bets for a thrill. Every Tiger bet keeps 14% or more of what you stake, so a session spent on them runs out more than ten times faster than one on Banker.
Small Tiger is the best of the five, and it beats Tiger itself. Tiger pays less on a two-card 6 (12 to 1 against 22) and less on a three-card 6 (20 to 1 against 50) than the two split bets do.
Tiger Tie is a trap. 35 to 1 sounds big for a once-in-52 event, but a fair price would be about 51 to 1.
Banker is not cut on a 6 here. Some tables drop the commission and pay Banker only half on a winning 6. This one keeps the 5% commission, so Banker pays 0.95 on every win, a 6 included.
If you enjoy Tiger Six Baccarat, try Titan Reels or Top Slot Wheel next.
