Baccarat, sometimes called Punto Banco, is a casino table game with a low house edge and James Bond-style glamour that has been enjoying an upswing in popularity among Las Vegas gamblers. It’s a simple game with just three possible outcomes – a player win, banker win or tie.
The game begins when players place bets on either the Player or Banker hand. The dealer then deals two cards to each hand and the winner is whoever gets closer to nine than the other hand. A third card may be dealt to either or both hands depending on the situation, and a third hand might also be drawn. Typically, the dealer draws from an eight-deck shoe, and Aces count as one. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings count as zero, and all other cards equal their face value.
Players may also choose to bet on the Tie. This bet has a much higher payout, but the odds of winning are significantly lower. Generally, a tie bet pays 8 to 1 and slightly better odds of 9 to 1 can be found at some casinos. The house has a 1.36 percent edge on the Player bet and a 1.17 percent advantage on the Banker bet after the casino takes a 5 percent commission. As far as casino table games go, Baccarat is one of the safest options to bet on, but a tie bet will empty your wallet faster than most other wagers.
The house edge for a Banker bet is lower than that of a Player bet, but this is a small difference over thousands of rounds of play. The best way to reduce the house edge is to bet on the Banker every time, and ignore the Tie bet unless you are a degenerate gambler.
Before you decide to wager on baccarat, make up your mind about how much you want to win and stop playing as soon as you hit that number. This will help you keep your gambling under control and prevent you from losing more money than you can afford to lose.
Baccarat uses anywhere from three to six standard decks of cards, and all the cards are shuffled before each deal. The objective of the game is to place bets on the Player, Banker or Tie hand. After all bets are placed, the dealer will deal two cards to each hand. The goal is to get a total as close to nine as possible. If the total of the two cards is above nine, the first digit is dropped and the second digit is used.
Baccarat is played on a large table in the high-roller rooms of casinos, and is a slow-moving, ritualistic game. It’s a classic casino-type game that requires no technical skill, and it can be enjoyed for as little as $25. However, the game can be very expensive if you bet large amounts of money. Baccarat is a popular casino game in Asia, and it’s now becoming more popular in the United States.
