Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It is played on the floor of casinos in Las Vegas and New Jersey, at the top online gambling sites, and even in a virtual environment with live dealers. It is a game that has taken the world by storm, and is poised to continue to do so as high rollers are drawn to it for its low house edge and straightforward gameplay.
A baccarat player’s goal is to win by betting on either the Banker hand, the Player hand, or the Tie bet. The game starts when the dealer closes all the bets, then flips over four cards – two for the Player hand and two for the Banker hand. If the Player or Banker hand has a total of 8 or 9, this is known as a natural win and your winnings are paid out immediately.
If the total of a player’s hand is more than 8, you have to drop the first digit to get its true value. For example, 9 + 6 = 15, so the hand’s actual value is 5. A wager on a tie pays eight to one, while a bet on the banker hand wins nine to one. In a game of baccarat, the rules are simple, but the strategy can be complex.
The house edge in baccarat is relatively low, and it can be reduced further by placing a ‘Super Six’ bet. The Super Six bet, which is placed alongside the ‘Banker’ and ‘Player’ bets, wins when the player’s and banker’s hands have a combined total of six. In baccarat, the ace card is worth one point, while face cards and numbers count as zero points.
While baccarat is often considered to be an elite game reserved for the rich and famous, it is becoming increasingly popular among high rollers at casino resorts. According to Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control agent and casino dealer who literally wrote the book on managing casino games, Asian high rollers have made baccarat their preferred choice of game due to its cultural roots.
The best way to improve your odds of winning at baccarat is to play short sessions and keep a record of your bets. A good way to do this is by using a score sheet, which can be found at most live baccarat tables. Also, it is important to look for baccarat games that use fewer decks of cards, as these will have a lower house edge on the ‘Banker’ bet. This is especially beneficial for players who are playing on a fixed bankroll.