Baccarat is one of the most popular card games in casinos worldwide. It’s easy to understand why when you look at the game’s history and its ease of play. From sticky-floor California card rooms to the tuxedo-laden casinos of Macau, this timeless game continues to enjoy immense popularity. In fact, since it dethroned Las Vegas as the casino game with the most cash in 2006, Macau casinos have made 88 percent of their total earnings from the game. It is also very popular in Singapore, where baccarat generates 18 percent of total casino revenue.
The rules of Baccarat are fairly simple and vary slightly depending on whether you’re playing punto banco, chemmy or baccarat banque (or the three other forms). In general, players bet on either the Player hand, the Banker’s hand or a tie. Two cards are dealt to each hand and whoever has the hand with a value closest to nine wins. Note that all numbered cards two through nine count as their face value, and the Ace counts as one point. Adding up points is done by adding the values of each card in the hand and subtracting the tens digit. For example, a hand of seven and eight would total 13, but in Baccarat, this is considered a “natural” and therefore doesn’t win.
After bets are placed, the dealer deals a single card to the Player box and a second card to the Banker box. If the Player box is higher, you win that round. If not, the Banker takes it. The game is over when the Player or Banker hand has a value closest to nine, which is often referred to as a “natural.” If neither of the hands is a natural, a third card may be drawn.
Unlike many other casino card games, baccarat has a relatively low house edge, meaning you can expect to make more money over the long run. In addition, each baccarat round lasts only a few minutes, making it an ideal choice for busy players.
The game is played on a table with from seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer’s area. Depending on the version of the game, a Player’s and Banker’s hand are dealt from an 8-deck or 9-deck shoe. After the initial betting, an optional Super Six Bet can be placed. This bet pays out 12x the amount of your initial bet if the Banker’s hand has a score of six. Similarly, a Pair Bet pays out 11x the amount of your original bet if you bet on either the Player or Banker to have a pair of matching cards. Despite its high payouts, Baccarat remains a relatively simple game to play and offers some of the highest rewards on the casino floor.