Baccarat has a lot going for it. It’s the game of choice for James Bond, whose tuxedo-clad adventures at Monte Carlo’s famed casino have given the classic card game an undeniable cache. It’s also a simple, easy-to-learn game with a relatively low house edge and a high ceiling for wins. And it’s a fun and elegant game to play with friends, with the option of adding side bets to make the game even more exciting.
The game begins with the dealer passing out two cards to each of the two gaming spaces at a Baccarat table: the Player box and the Banker box. Players then bet on which hand will come closest to nine points in total, with a nine being the highest score. Tens, the Ace and other face cards have zero value, while eights count as one point. Then, based on the initial total of the two hands, there are a series of rules that determine whether a third card will be drawn.
In the past, the rules for determining if a third card should be drawn in baccarat were a bit more complicated than they are today. However, with the advent of electronic betting terminals at many casinos and online platforms, a standard set of rules for when a third card should be drawn in Baccarat has become the norm. Regardless of the method used to determine a winning hand in Baccarat, the banker bet has the lowest house edge of any bet at the table and usually wins more often than the player hand.
It’s these facts that keep high rollers flocking to baccarat, even though there is little or no skill involved in playing the game. Lou is a high roller at the Hard Rock, and he’s joined by a few dozen other players as they huddle in a secluded area of the Peacock Lounge to play baccarat. During the quiet of the night, cards are being shuffled and the beautiful rituals that surround this game unfold.
Each round of baccarat lasts just seconds. Once the bets are placed, a new card is dealt to each of the two hands, and the process repeats itself. Baccarat is a very fast game, especially in the non-commission versions that many players use. Each hand is played in under a minute, and the results are announced immediately.
While the house edge on a banker bet in Baccarat is only 1.2%, there’s a higher house edge on a tie bet (which pays 8 to 1) and a player pair bet (which pays 11:1 odds). With this in mind, it’s important to enter any Baccarat game with a plan. Decide how much you’re willing to lose at the table, and cut your losses when you hit that amount. This will ensure you walk away with a positive experience and some cash in your pocket.