What You Need to Know About Baccarat
Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games, played in casinos around the world. It’s a slow-paced, high-stakes game of chance that has become a favourite for both beginners and experienced players alike.
The House Edge is Low
Baccarat has one of the lowest house edges in the casino, with an average advantage of just 1.24% on Banker and Player bets. It’s also one of the most exciting and entertaining games, with its slow-paced style and a plethora of betting options.
It’s Easy to Learn and Play
Unlike most casino games, baccarat is a relatively simple game that doesn’t require any skill or strategy. All you need to do is place a bet on either the Player or the Banker hand and wait for the dealer to deal.
When the first two cards are dealt, the dealer decides whether or not a third card will be drawn. The dealer follows a set of rules that determine the Player and Banker hands.
The Player and Banker hand points counts are determined by the values of the first two cards. Counts are 2s through 9s, tens and picture cards count zero, and aces are worth 1.
If the total of the two cards is nine or less, the player or dealer must stand on their bet. If the total is more than nine, the player or dealer must adjust their count. They can do this by dropping the first digit or subtracting ten from the total.
Players are allowed to make a bet of $1 to $100 (not exceeding the original wager on the baccarat hand). When the player’s or dealer’s first two cards have a point count of eight (8) or nine (9) in their point counts, it’s called a natural. The player or dealer can then wager on a third card.
The dealer then deals two cards to each player. The first card is dealt to the punter on the right of the banker; the next card is given to the next punter, and so on in a clockwise rotation until each player has had two cards.
After the second hand is dealt, all players may bet on their individual hand or on the Player Hand and Banker Hand. The Player Hand pays a higher payout than the Banker Hand.
There are only two possible ways for the Player Hand to win, a “natural” and a “dead draw”. A dead draw is when neither of the players’ cards has a total value of nine or less.
A dead draw is also known as a tie. If both the Player and Banker Hands have the same total, the player or dealer can choose to make a bet on the tie.
The game is usually played in a casino that is located in the high-roller pit, or at full-size tables on which up to 14 players can play. The full-size tables have a maximum wager of $100, and the game is played by professional dealers.