The Basics of Baccarat
Baccarat is one of the most popular table games on the planet. In fact, it generates more casino revenue than any other game except blackjack and roulette. The prestigious game is easy to learn and has a reputation for attracting high-rollers who place large bets – $100,000 per hand is not uncommon in Macau and Singapore. In addition, Baccarat is a highly profitable game for online casinos and offers players the chance to win big while playing from the comfort of their home or mobile device.
Baccarat has a long and distinguished history. The company’s work first caught the eye of the French Royal Court at the great fairs of the 19th Century, where they were commissioned to design table services and drinkware. In 1816, the firm was purchased by a Belgian entrepreneur and renamed the Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat.
The rules of Baccarat are a little different depending on whether you’re playing the “punto-player” or “banco-bank” (or, as it is known in France, ‘chemin de fer’) form, but the basic principle is the same: bet on the player or banker to get the hand with the best total value when all of the cards are dealt. The winning hand is the one whose final digit is closest to nine. The score is calculated by adding up the values of all of the pips on each card: card numbers 2 through 9 are worth their pip value, picture cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings) count as zero points, while aces count as one point.
After the initial bets are placed, a second set of cards is dealt. The dealer then reveals the first card in the Player box, followed by another in the Banker box. If the Player or Banker hand wins, your bets will be paid out accordingly. Otherwise, a third card will be drawn to either the Player or Banker hand.
If the initial score is a nine, neither the Player nor the Banker will draw a third card. If the score is a seven, the Banker must draw a third card, but will stay on a six or higher. The Player will draw a third card if it has a four or five, but won’t on a 0 or a 1.
In the event that the player and banker hands both have a total of nine points, the game is over and everyone wins! But sometimes, neither the Player nor the Banker will have a total of nine. When this happens, the bets on the Player and Banker are returned and the bets on the Tie are paid out.
Baccarat is played on a special table that is usually about the size of a craps table and can seat up to 12 players. The game is available in offline or land-based casinos, and also at a number of online casinos that offer live baccarat via a real-time video stream. The experience is just as authentic as if you were in an offline casino, with the dealer always present and the game being played in real time.