Baccarat’s reputation is one of glamour, high stakes, tuxedos, evening gowns, and velvet ropes at private tables in the casino. But underneath all this is a remarkably straightforward game. You don’t have to become a card sharp or study mathematics to understand how it works. Essentially, it’s a two-handed guessing game but understanding the odds for each of the two hands and knowing which bets are better left alone are key components of starting to win at baccarat.
How Card Gaming Works
Your aim in a baccarat game is to guess which of the two hands will get a points total closer to nine, the player or the banker. There’s also the option to bet on a tie. Remember that the hands’ names don’t represent you or the house. You’re not going to be playing against anyone, you’re simply betting on the outcome.
At the start of each baccarat round, two cards get dealt to the player and banker hands. Their values are easy to remember. Cards two through nine are worth their face value, tens and face cards are worth nothing, and aces are one point each. If the combined total of a hand exceeds nine points, the first digit is dropped, so if one of the hands is worth 15, it will count as 5.
The best possible total is nine points, and hands that add up to either eight or nine on the first two cards are called naturals. If either the player or the banker has a natural, the round ends there, and the winner is declared. Although there isn’t a complex strategy to memorise, dedicating some time to learning fundamental Baccarat terms like natural can enhance your enjoyment of the game.
If neither hand has a natural, there is an automatic set of rules that kicks in to determine whether or not a third card is drawn for the player or the banker. You don’t have to make any decisions in this regard. The dealer will always follow the same script, making the game fast, fun, and consistent.
The Third Card Rules
The third-card rules governing baccarat are a bit complicated but remember that you don’t need to memorise them before you play.
If the player hand’s total is between zero and five, a third card will get drawn. If the total is six or seven, the hand will stand. The banker’s decision will depend not just on that hand’s total but on whether the player drew a third card or not and what that card’s value was. For instance, if the banker’s hand total is three and the player’s third card is an eight, the banker stands. But if the player’s third card is anything else, the banker draws.
These rules are automatic and always follow the same pattern. In live games like those available at Black Lotus online casino, the dealer manages it all without hesitation. In online versions, the system takes care of it instantly.
Betting and Payouts
You can either bet on the player hand getting closer to nine points, the banker’s hand doing so, or a tie occurring in baccarat. Each option comes with different odds and payouts:
- A winning bet on the player pays out at 1:1, and there’s a 44.62% chance of this happening.
- A winning banker bet also pays out at 1:1 and boasts odds of 45.86%. But there’s an added extra you need to consider here. It generally carries a 5% commission. This means that if you bet 50, you’d win 45 if you were successful. This is in place to cover the higher chance of the banker bet winning.
- While a winning tie bet carries an excellent payout of 8:1 or 9:1, depending on where you’re playing, the odds of it occurring are low, standing at 9.51%. This makes it the riskiest choice of the three betting options.
For those worried about the commission applied to the banker’s bet, you’ll be glad to know that there is no commission baccarat available. Instead of the 5%, if the banker wins with a total of six, the payout gets reduced to 1:2.
Why Baccarat Keeps Its Appeal
Baccarat does not require you to do anything except make a bet, unlike games like blackjack where your personal decisions change the odds and significantly impact your chances of winning. There’s no standing, hitting, splitting, or doubling down. Once you select one of the three possible outcomes, everything else happens automatically. This makes for a nice change from more complicated games that need you to know in-depth rules and make strategic decisions.
One Last Word Before You Play
Although baccarat enjoys a reputation as being a favourite for the rich and famous alone, the truth is that it’s one of the easiest and most accessible of any casino games. You need neither betting systems nor strategy know-how. Simply make your choice about what outcome will occur and wait to see the final card revealed!
Baccarat’s Long Road Through History
Baccarat has been around for hundreds of years, though its exact origins are still being debated. Some experts trace it back to Ancient China, where the keno online we enjoy today was also born. Others believe it began in Italy, possibly in the 1500s, with a game called baccara, which means zero. This referred to the value of the tens and face cards.
The game made its way to France in the same time period with soldiers returning from war, where it found favour among the aristocracy. The version they played, known as baccarat banque, involved three players and allowed one to act as the dealer. Eventually, a faster variation called Chemin de Fer became popular, in which players took turns being the banker.
The most popular version of the game today is known as punto banco, and it’s also the simplest. This final version of the game helped its global spread, especially throughout the rest of Europe and in the United States.
