Baccarat review

Lightning Baccarat: bets, payouts and RTP

Lightning Baccarat is Evolution's baccarat with a 20% Lightning Fee and one to five Lightning Cards per round that multiply winning hands by 2x to 8x.

Player and Banker can reach 512:1 and the Tie 262,144x when several Lightning Cards line up. Evolution added it to the Lightning range at ICE in January 2020.

Our verdict: For players who want the occasional big multiplier on a baccarat bet. Base payouts are lower and the fee is charged every round.

Software: Evolution Gaming
Game type: Baccarat
RTP: 98.76%
House edge: 1.24%
Min. bet: $1
Max. Bet: $500
Release year: 2020
Side bets: Yes
Live game: Yes
Mobile compatibility: Yes

Lightning Fee 20% Multipliers 2x–8x Launched 2020

By Fiona Gallagher Updated Oct 6, 2026

RTP: 98.76% Best bet, Evolution
Decks: 8
Lightning fee: 20% per round
Top multiplier: 512:1 Player or Banker
Bet range: $1–$500 Default table limits
Launched: 2020 Evolution

RTP per bet

Lightning Baccarat: RTP and house edge per bet

Bet	Payout	RTP	House edge	Cost per $100
Player	1:1, up to 512:1	98.76%	1.24%	$1.24
Banker	0.95:1, up to 512:1	98.59%	1.41%	$1.41
Tie	5:1 base	94.51%	5.49%	$5.49
Player or Banker Pair	9:1 base	88.35%	11.65%	$11.65

RTP including the 20% fee: Evolution's figures as quoted by casino.org and LiveCasinoComparer.

What the numbers mean

RTP 98.76% $987.60

back on average per $1,000 wagered

House edge 1.24% $12.40

expected cost per $1,000 wagered

Turnover 81×

times a balance can be wagered before the house edge has, on average, used it up

How it works

How a round of Lightning Baccarat works

One round

Bet Back Player, Banker or Tie, plus any side bets, while the timer runs.
The deal Two cards each to Player and Banker; the totals count only the last digit.
Third cards Fixed rules decide whether either hand draws a third card.
Settlement The total closest to 9 wins.

Lightning Cards and the fee

Rule	Lightning Baccarat
Lightning Fee	20% of your total bet, every round
Lightning Cards	1 to 5 per round, from a virtual 52-card deck
Multipliers	2x, 3x, 4x, 5x or 8x
Top win	512:1 on Player or Banker
Cap	EUR 500,000 per round

Evolution, Lightning Baccarat game page and launch release; cap from LiveCasinoComparer.

Versions

Lightning Baccarat against Evolution's other baccarats

RTP and default limits of the closest Evolution versions on this site, as we list them.

Game	RTP	Min bet	Max bet	What sets it apart
Lightning Baccarat	98.76%	$1	$500	20% fee, 2x–8x cards
Live Baccarat	98.94%	$1	$100,000	Standard rules
Speed Baccarat	98.94%	$1	$10,000	About 27 seconds a round
Baccarat Squeeze	98.94%	$5	$10,000	Dealer squeeze
Baccarat Controlled Squeeze	98.94%	$5	$10,000	You squeeze
Salon Privé Baccarat	98.94%	$50	$250,000	Private table
Baccarat Multiplay	98.94%	$1	$50,000	Bet on every table at once
No Commission Baccarat	98.76%	$10	$90,000	Banker 6 pays 1:2

RTP: the best-bet figure verified for each game (sources on each game's page; – where none is published). Default limits: the figures we list on LiveCasinoRank. Features: Evolution's game pages. Casinos set their own limits on each table.

Cost per hour

What an hour of Lightning Baccarat costs on average

Expected cost is stake per round × rounds per hour × house edge. Change the inputs in the calculator to match your own stake and pace.

Live Roulette 97.3% · 40 rounds/h

$11

Lightning Baccarat 98.76% · 50 rounds/h

Live Blackjack, basic strategy 99.28% · 50 rounds/h

RTP: Evolution. Rounds per hour are an assumption for the example; Evolution does not publish a pace for every table, and real pace depends on the number of players.

Variance

How Lightning Baccarat swings from round to round

Banker and Player

Win close to half the time and pay about even money.

Suits you if: Steady sessions.

Pairs and bonus bets

Pay 11:1 to 30:1 with a much higher edge.

Suits you if: Occasional small add-ons.

Tie

Lands about one hand in ten and returns only 85.64%.

Suits you if: Skip it.

Limits

Lightning Baccarat bet limits

The range below is the default we list for the game. Each casino sets its own limits, so the table in your lobby can start higher or stop lower.

Game	Lowest min	Highest max	Range	What it means
Lightning Baccarat	$1	$500

Default minimum and maximum bet: the figures we list for the game. Check the limits shown at the table before you play.

Live Lightning Baccarat compared with similar games

Published Baccarat games on CasinoRank, best RTP first.

Game	Software	RTP	House edge	Min. bet
Baccarat Controlled Squeeze	Evolution Gaming	98.94%	1.06%	$5
Baccarat Dragon Bonus	Ezugi	98.94%	1.06%	Low
Baccarat Multiplay	Evolution Gaming	98.94%	1.06%	$1
Fashion TV Jackpot Baccarat	Playtech	98.94%	1.06%	$1.00
Fortune 6 Baccarat	Pragmatic Play	98.94%	1.06%	$0.20
Live Baccarat	Playtech	98.94%	1.06%	$1
Live Baccarat	VIVO Gaming	98.94%	1.06%	$0.50
Live Lightning Baccarat	Evolution Gaming	98.76%	1.24%	$1

RTP and bets listed for each game.

FAQ

What is the RTP of Lightning Baccarat?

Player: 98.76%; Banker: 98.59%; Tie: 94.51%; Player or Banker Pair: 88.35%, per Evolution.

Which bet is best in Lightning Baccarat?

Player has the highest return. The Tie and the side bets cost several times more per bet.

What is the Lightning Fee in Lightning Baccarat?

A 20% charge on your total bet each round, which funds the multipliers. The RTP figures include it.

Where can I play Lightning Baccarat?

At casinos that carry Evolution's live games; the ranked list on this page shows them. Check that the casino accepts players from your country and that online casino play is legal where you live.

Responsible gambling

Set your limits before you join a live table

18+ only

Licensed casinos check age and identity before they pay out. Play only where online casino play is legal for you.

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Time and budget first

Set deposit, loss and session limits in your casino account before the first bet, and keep to them when a round goes against you.

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