Baccarat is an elegant casino table game that’s portrayed as sophisticated and James Bond-like in the movies, but it’s actually an easy game to learn and play. It has a low house edge, and the dealer takes care of everything. Baccarat is a great choice for new players who want to experience the Las Vegas casino action without having to work up a sweat.
Baccarat (pronounced “bah-kahr-ay”) is one of the most popular casino games in Europe and Latin America. The object of the game is to bet on which hand will come closest to a total of nine points. The Player Hand and Banker Hand are dealt two cards each. The value of each hand is determined by adding up the values of the individual cards and removing the tens digit. The hand with the higher value wins.
When the Player and Banker hands have a total of 8 or 9 points, this is known as a ‘natural’ and no further cards are drawn. A third card may be drawn on either hand if the first two cards are a pair, but this bet is less likely to win. The player can also place a Super Six Bet, which pays out 12x the initial bet amount if the Banker hand beats the Player’s by 6 points or more.
Unlike many casino games, there are no complicated rules for Baccarat and the banker has the highest chance of winning each round. The game is played in banks and private clubs all over the world, but it has gained immense popularity in casinos in recent years. It has also become a favorite pastime for high rollers from Asia, who prefer the game’s fixed set of rules and the fact that it is a slow-paced game.
A Baccarat table is usually reserved for high rollers, who can bet up to $100 or more on the game. The betting limits are much higher than in most other casino tables. However, a high roller should always set a budget before playing the game and stick to it. Regardless of the stakes, it is important to treat Baccarat as an entertainment event and not as money that you will return home with.
Baccarat is a simple game to learn and can be played with just three bets: the player win, the banker win and the tie. The player and the banker are each dealt two cards, face up and visible to all of the players at the table. The hand that is closest to nine wins. If neither the player nor the banker have a total of 9, a tie is awarded and all bets are paid. In addition to the main bets, players can also place a side bet on the Super Six and Pair Bets. These bets pay out according to the fixed rules and are collected by the dealer. The Banker bets, in particular, carry a 5% commission which the casino tracks and collects from each winning Banker hand.