The game of baccarat has long cultivated an aura of sophistication, as though it’s beyond the reach of the average casino patron. But with a low house edge and easy betting rules, it could be the perfect game for those looking to try their hand at a table.
In its simplest form, baccarat is played with up to 14 players and one dealer. Two cards are dealt to each player, and bettors can choose to place a wager on the Player Hand, Banker Hand, or Tie. The goal is to get a total closer to nine than the opposing hand, with tens and face cards worth zero points. Aces count as one point. A winning player or banker hand pays out 9 to 1; a losing hand loses its bet.
But the rules are more complicated than that. The number of decks used can affect the game’s odds, and the number of cards dealt to a particular hand can also have an effect on the game’s outcome. In addition, the croupier is a vital component of the game. They can make or break a game by calling for additional cards, and their decisions are based on experience, intuition, and the results of previous hands.
For some players, the nuances of baccarat can be a bit confusing. This is especially true if they aren’t familiar with the different rules of each version of the game. Different versions of the game use different numbers of decks, and these differences can affect the house edge and the odds of winning. In general, games with more decks of cards will have a higher house edge than games with fewer decks.
A player can place a bet on either the Player or Banker hand, and the game is over when that hand has a total of 8 or 9. A third card is drawn only if the first two cards have a combined value of 7 or more. A player can also place a bet on a “Super Six,” which pays out if the Banker hand wins with a total of 6 or more.
The game’s popularity among Asian high rollers has helped drive a large segment of its revenue, and the table game has been embraced by the likes of Macau’s Marina Bay Sands, where the highest-limit tables feature players betting $100,000 a hand. According to GGB, high-stakes baccarat players can account for more than 88 percent of a casino’s table revenue in that market. That makes baccarat an attractive opportunity for operators who want to attract these lucrative patrons. To learn more about the game, we spoke with Bill Zender, a Nevada Gaming Control Agent and casino executive who literally wrote the book on managing table games. He says baccarat’s growing popularity with Asian high rollers is due to its cultural appeal. He describes the game as a ritual of superstition, fate, and fortune. In many cases, he argues, it’s even a religious experience.