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Analyzing the Dragon Bonus Side Bet in Baccarat

The baccarat dragon bonus bet is one of the most popular side wagers in the classic card game. This wager is especially popular online, but is the dragon bonus worth the risk?

This free guide will break down everything you need to know about the dragon bonus in online baccarat. I will give you a step-by-step guide to making the dragon bonus wager in baccarat. Also, I will provide an in-depth look at its payout odds, best strategies, and more.

What Is the Dragon Bonus Bet?

So, what is the dragon bonus bet in baccarat? This side wager rewards players for correctly betting on the winning hand. The bigger your margin of victory, the better your payout.

For the best payout odds, you must win by a large margin without a natural. There are only two ways to truly lose the dragon bonus bet in baccarat:

1. Bet on the wrong hand
2. Win by three or fewer points

If you avoid those two outcomes, you will receive a payout from this wager. A tie results in a push for the dragon bonus bet.

Dragon Bonus Baccarat Payout Structure

You can make the dragon bonus bet on either hand in baccarat. Regardless of the hand you bet on, your chosen hand must win for you to win this side wager.

The exact odds can vary from one casino to another, but here is an example of the payout odds for the baccarat dragon bonus:

• Win by 9 points without a natural = 30:1 odds
• Win by 8 points without a natural = 10:1
• Win by 7 points without a natural = 6:1
• Win by 6 points without a natural = 4:1
• Win by 5 points without a natural = 2:1
• Win by 4 points without a natural = 1:1
• Win with a natural = 1:1
• Tie = Push
• Bet on losing hand = No payout 

The payout odds are the same whether you are betting on the Banker or Player hand with this side wager. Also, you can bet on either hand in this bet, regardless of the outcome you bet on with your stake wager.

Baccarat Dragon Bonus Odds and House Edge

The banker hand bet has a slight edge over the player hand bet in baccarat’s base game. However, the same cannot be said for the dragon bonus wager. The exact house edge can vary from one secure casino site to another, but generally speaking, the player hand has a low house edge in this wager.

Betting on the player hand rewards you with a 97.35% RTP, or a house edge of 2.65%. The banker hand, by comparison, has an RTP of just 90.83%, or a house edge of 9.17%.

Playing Dragon Bonus Baccarat

The best way to master the Dragon Bonus side bet is to try it for yourself. To that end, I played 25 hands of Dragon Baccarat at Drake Casino.

For my session, I used a total bankroll of $100. This allowed me to wager $1 on the Dragon Bonus and $3 on the Banker Hand every round. At these stakes, a Banker Hand win resulted in a payout of $5.85, which was enough to cover my $4 in total stake for that hand.

Check out the table below to see the results from my short session playing Dragon Bonus Baccarat.

Bet	Total Wins	Amount Won
Banker Hand	11	$64.35
Player Hand	12	$0.00
Tie	2	$0.00
Dragon Bonus	9	$47.00

I won 11 of my 25 Banker Hand bets, leading to $64.35 in winnings. This was not enough to cover the $75 I wagered on the bet in my session. However, I also won nine of my Dragon Bonus wagers for a total of $47.00, bringing my total winnings to $111.35.

After subtracting my initial $100 bankroll, I was left with $11 in profit. I would have had a losing session if not for the Dragon Bonus. However, eight of my nine wins were from natural wins by the Player Hand and were only worth $2 each.

The lone exception was on hand 14, when the player hand won by nine points with a three-card hand, creating a payout of $31.

Is the Dragon Bonus Worth It?

In my 25-hand session, I would have lost nearly $11 because the Banker Hand only won 11 of the 25 rounds. However, thanks to the Dragon Bonus bet, I only had five hands were I lost all of my bets.

Betting on this side wager increased my bankroll from $75 to $100. However, it also increased my winnings from $64.35 to $111.35. It also took me from a net loss of $10.65 to a net gain of $11.35.

With that in mind, it is easy to say that the Dragon Bonus was worth the risk in my short session. However, if not for one win that resulted in a $30 profit, the bet would have increased my losses from $10.65 to $19.65. So, while it can be worth the risk in some sessions, players should know that the Dragon Bonus can also cost them in others.

Tips for Playing Dragon Bonus

As with any side wager, the dragon bonus in baccarat has a higher house edge than the base game wagers. On the bright side, you can minimize the risk of this baccarat side bet with the right casino strategy.

Only Bet a Small Amount

To take advantage of the Dragon Bonus’s high payout, you must make it every round. However, the losses from this bet can add up quickly.

So, if you decide to try this wager, you should only bet a small amount. Ideally, your winnings from your primary wager, either the Banker or Player Hand bet, should cover any losses from your side bets.

For example, in the session I detailed above, a single Banker win paid $5.85, which covered my $3 Banker bet and $1 Dragon Bonus wager. This approach will minimize your losses from the side wager.

Use a Separate Bankroll

Using a separate bankroll for the Dragon Bonus wager can also be helpful. In my session, the side wager helped me achieve a profit. However, this will not always be the case.

Keeping track of your budget and winnings for each bet takes additional work. On the other hand, it will also make it easier to assess your results later on.

For instance, you may discover that the Dragon Bonus costs you more than it helps. This strategy will also let you adjust your strategy for each wager, including incorporating baccarat betting systems. Using distinct bankrolls for each bet also enables you to increase or decrease your stake amount to find the right balance for your playing style.

Count Cards to Gain an Advantage

Counting cards in blackjack is one of the most well-known advantage play techniques. With practice, you can use a similar method to gain an advantage in baccarat.

Usually, betting on the Banker Hand every round is the safest way to play baccarat. It has the lowest house edge, even if you must pay a commission. If you count cards, you can switch to betting on the Player Hand when the deck favors doing so.

Likewise, with this side wager, you can count cards in baccarat for an advantage in when to bet on the Banker Hand. The house edge on the Banker Hand is nearly 10% for this bet, so any tactic that lets you minimize your risk is worth a shot.

Have You Tried the Baccarat Dragon Bonus Wager?

The Dragon Bonus is a high-paying side wager that is challenging to win. When it does payout, you can take home payouts of up to 30x. I won the wager 36% of the time and made a profit in a short, 25-hand session.

Read the guide above to learn more about the Dragon Bonus in Baccarat. Then, sign up at Drake Casino to try the wager for yourself. New members can use the 300% welcome bonus to get up to $6,000 in extra funds for playing baccarat.