Whether you’ve visited sticky-floor California card rooms or the tuxedo-laden casinos of Monaco, you have probably seen baccarat played in some form or another. The game traces its roots to the gambling salons of Italy and France, but within the past thirty years it has become one of the world’s most popular casino games. It’s not hard to see why: baccarat is relatively simple and offers players the chance to wager on either the Player Hand, the Banker’s Hand or a tie.
The game’s origins are unclear, but most believe it was invented in 1500s Rome, Italy by a man named Felix Falguiere. He may have named the game after himself or the Italian word baccara (zero), as the values of cards such as tens, jacks and queens were worth zero in his version of the game. Others claim the game was a favorite among aristocrats and royalty, spreading quickly to neighboring countries such as France where it became known as chemin de fer or “chemmy.”
It’s not easy to get carried away in baccarat, as there is no chance of winning a huge amount from the tie bet, which pays eight to one. Most serious players stick to either Player or Banker bets, as they both have a house edge of less than two percent. However, the game has become so popular that variations on it and additional bets have emerged such as the Super Six Bet and Pair Bet.
A win on a Player or Banker bet is determined by how close the player or banker hand is to nine. If the hand totals 9 or is a natural, no other cards are drawn. In the event of a tie, a third card is drawn and the winning hand is determined.
The game is a little different depending on whether you’re playing Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer or Baccarat Banque, but the basic rules remain the same. Regardless of the variation, the aim is to bet on a hand that you think will win, and to bet in such a way as to maximize your profits.
There are a number of betting strategies to choose from, and some players swear by the Martingale system, which involves doubling your bet after each loss with the idea that a single win will recoup all of your previous losses and leave you with a profit equal to your original bet size. This strategy only works if you have a large enough bankroll to keep doubling your bets and have the discipline to stick with it. However, this is a risky approach and is best avoided if possible. It’s also worth noting that the House takes a 5% commission on winning bets on the Banker’s hand, so this is a factor that you should consider when deciding how much to bet.