Baccarat is a game that’s often overlooked in casinos, but this popular card game has an interesting history and can be very lucrative for those who know the rules. It traces its roots back to the gambling salons of Italy and France and has seen an uptick in popularity as a casino table game in Asia, Europe, and now the United States. It’s a game with a low house edge that can make it quite profitable for players and bankers alike.
The object of Baccarat is to bet on one of two hands – the player’s hand or the banker’s hand – that will total closest to nine. The winning hand is determined by whichever side of the table has the highest value when all the pips (the dots on each card that are clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades) are added together. All face cards and tens are worth zero points, while aces count as one point. Once the points total reaches a double digit, the second digit takes on that value as the hand is assessed.
After all the bets are placed, the dealer deals two cards – one to the Player box, and then another to the Banker box. If the Player’s or Banker’s hands have a combined points total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards dealt, that is called a “natural” and the bets are paid out. If the first two cards are a tie, the game continues with another round of betting. If neither hand has a natural, a third card may be drawn to increase the chances of either a Player or Banker win.
Aside from the fact that Baccarat can be a bit complicated for new gamblers, it’s a great game to play in a group as you don’t bet against each other and you can split the bets however you like. It also has very competitive odds compared to other casino games, only beaten by blackjack, full pay video poker, and craps odds.
The game’s popularity has exploded over the past few years as Asian high rollers have made it their table of choice in casinos. This has made it easier for American casino managers to bring the game to their properties as demand has grown.
Baccarat is played on a large table with from seven to 14 seats for players and a separate area for the dealer. The rules differ slightly depending on whether you’re playing Punto Banco or Chemin de Fer (the quicker version of the game). Regardless, the goal is the same: to bet on a hand, Player or Banker, that will have the best total after all the cards are dealt. The best hand is a “nine.” The winnings are then determined. Baccarat has been featured in a number of films including the 1954 film adaptation of Casino Royale where James Bond plays the game against Le Chiffre; Thunderball; On Her Majesty’s Secret Service; and GoldenEye.
