Baccarat is one of the world’s most prestigious casino games, with a long and rich history that dates back over 500 years. It first came to fame in medieval Italy, where it became a game of choice for nobility and aristocrats. It was later adopted in France, where it was given its name and spread to casinos worldwide. Today, baccarat is available in many different variants, including punto banco and chemin de fer. The latter is faster and easier to play, but still requires some understanding of the rules to be successful.
Regardless of which version you choose to play, the basic objective is the same: bet on either the Player or Banker hand that you think will have a total closest to nine. Cards numbered 2 through 9 are worth their face value, while tens and picture or face cards count as zero. Aces, on the other hand, count as one. If the total points of either hand goes over nine, the first digit is dropped, meaning that a seven and a six will both be lowered to three.
After all players have placed their bets, the dealer will deal one card and reveal it in the Player box. Then he or she will do the same in the Banker box. Once all of the cards have been dealt, if the Player or Banker hands are equal in total points, the bets are paid out.
There are five types of bets in Baccarat, each with its own odds and payouts: the Player Bet, the Banker Bet, the Tie Bet, and the Super Six and Eight Bet. The rules are a little different depending on whether you’re playing the “punto banco” or “chemin de fer” version of the game, but there are always seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer’s area.
The Player bet is the most popular and straightforward baccarat wager. It is a bet that the Player’s hand will win. If the bet wins, it pays out 1:1. The banker bet is the second most common type of baccarat wager, offering slightly better odds than the Player bet. If the banker wins, it pays out 1:1 minus a 5-percent commission.
As the most famous baccarat game in the world, Baccarat has featured in several films featuring the iconic character James Bond. These include the 1954 television adaptation of Casino Royal, where Bond plays baccarat against Le Chiffre; Thunderball, in which Bond wins against the banker played by actor David Niven; On Her Majesty’s Secret Service; and GoldenEye.
Baccarat is a fun and easy-to-learn game, with simple betting options and the potential for big wins. It is also an excellent choice for high-rollers, with the highest limits often found in the most opulent gambling areas of casinos. According to Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control Agent and casino executive who wrote the book on managing casino games, Asian high rollers have made the game their top choice for the past two decades.
