Dragon Tiger (XE88): two cards, one winner, and the half-back tie rule
Two cards, one each for Dragon and Tiger, and the higher one wins. The XE88 table prints its rules on the felt. Here is what they mean in practice.
Key facts
- Bets
- Dragon, Tiger, Tie
- Printed odds
- Dragon 1:2, Tiger 1:2, Tie 1:9
- On a tie
- Half of Dragon/Tiger bets returned
- Bet limits
- Min 0.5, max 1000
Dragon Tiger is often described as baccarat with everything unnecessary taken out. Two cards are dealt, one to the Dragon and one to the Tiger. The higher card wins. There is no drawing, no third card and no decisions after the deal, so a round takes seconds.
The table and the bets
The green felt has three betting areas: 龍 DRAGON on the left, 虎 TIGER on the right and 和 TIE in the middle. The limits sit top-left: minimum 0.5, maximum 1000. The chip rail runs from 0.5 to 1000.
- Pick a chip and place it on Dragon, Tiger or Tie.
- Press Deal. The dealer's hand slides out one card to each side.
- The higher card wins. A big 龍贏 (Dragon wins) or 虎贏 (Tiger wins) banner shows the result.
- The bead grid along the bottom records the outcome, and New Game resets the table.
Card ranking follows the usual Dragon Tiger rule: ace is the lowest card and king the highest. Suits do not count.
What 1:2 and 1:9 mean
Under DRAGON and TIGER the table prints 1:2, and under TIE it prints 1:9. These are "for one" figures, meaning the total you get back for each 1 staked. A winning 1-unit Dragon bet returns 2, so you double your money. A winning 1-unit Tie bet returns 9, a profit of 8.
The tie rule printed on the felt
Across the top of the table is the line that matters most: the tie bet wins if the Dragon and Tiger cards are equal in rank, and in the event of a tie you get 50% of your bet returned. So if you backed Dragon or Tiger and the cards tie, you lose only half your stake.
That half-back rule is kinder than tables where Dragon and Tiger bets lose in full on a tie. The Tie bet itself remains a long shot with a much bigger house edge, so treat it as an occasional side bet.
A word on patterns
The bead grid tempts people to hunt for streaks. Each round is a fresh deal, and a run of Dragons says nothing about the next card. Pick a side, set a limit and stop at it.
Dragon Tiger sits with the other XE88 table games, and Casino War is its closest cousin. Happy with the rules? Play Dragon Tiger on XE88. 18+ only.
Quick questions
What happens to my Dragon bet if the cards tie?
On the XE88 table you get 50% of your Dragon or Tiger bet back, as the rule printed across the top of the table says.
What does 1:9 on the Tie mean?
It is a for-one figure: stake 1 on Tie and a tie returns 9 in total, your stake included.
