Online casinos offer variations of practically all table games with side bets. Side bets are almost mandatory in casino poker games. Many software providers offer blackjack and roulette games with side bets. But baccarat games with side bets are conspicuous by their absence at online casinos. However the reverse is true for live dealer casinos. There are a number of baccarat variants with side bets offered at these casinos.

One of the simplest baccarat games with a side bet is Baccarat Pairs. It is also known as Lucky Pairs in some live dealer casinos. There are usually two side bets and these are optional. The player side bet wins if the first two cards dealt to the Player form a pair. The banker side bet wins if the first two cards dealt to the Banker are a pair. Both side bets pay 11 to 1 if they win. A bettor can wager on both side bets if he wants to. Some live dealer baccarat casinos offer additional side bets in their Baccarat Pairs games. There is an either pair bet that pays out if either the Player or the Banker has a pair. There is a two way bet that pays out if both the Player and the Banker have a pair. Finally there is a three way bet that pays out if both the Player and the Banker have a pair and the hand ultimately ends in a tie.

Progressive Baccarat is a liver dealer baccarat variant in which the side bet can lead to a progressive jackpot payout. The side bet is optional. The progressive jackpot is hit if the Player has an ace and an eight of one suit and the Banker also has an ace and an eight of the same suit. Other than the progressive jackpot payout there are several fixed payouts. If the Player has an ace and an eight of one suit and the Banker has an ace and an eight of a different suit then the payout is 10,000 to 1. If the Player has an ace and an eight and the Banker also has an ace and an eight then the payout is 1,000 to 1. The simpler payouts are as follows. A natural nine pays 25 to 1; a natural eight pays 20 to 1; a natural 7 pays 15 to 1 and a natural 6 pays 10 to 1.

Dragon Bonus live dealer baccarat is perhaps the most complicated of the baccarat side bet games. The payout on the side bet depends on the margin of victory of the chosen hand. Hence if the chosen hand does not win then the side bet loses. If a non-natural hand wins by 9 points then the payout is 30 to 1. If a non-natural hand wins by 8 points then the payout is 10 to 1. If a non-natural hand wins by 7 points then the payout is 6 to 1. If a non-natural hand wins by 6 points then the payout is 4 to 1. If a non-natural hand wins by 5 points then the payout is 2 to 1. If a non-natural hand wins by 4 points then the payout is 1 to 1. Natural hand winners payout even money and natural hand ties push. In all other cases the side bet loses.