Baccarat is the most popular casino game in the world and a huge money maker for casinos. It traces its origin to Italy and France, but it became a favorite in the casinos of Asia and in recent years has become an increasingly popular game among American casino-goers.
There are three possible outcomes for each hand: Player win, Banker win, or a tie. The game is a simple one to learn, but there are some nuances to be aware of when playing. For example, unlike blackjack, baccarat doesn’t have any side-bets, and your bets don’t change the outcome of what cards are dealt.
To begin, the dealer deals four cards face down. The first two cards form the Player hand, and are marked on the table as PLAYER. The remaining two cards form the Banker hand and are marked as BANKER. The goal of both hands is to get the total closest to nine. Each card has a different value: Aces count as one, while 2-9 are worth their face values. The king, queen, and jack all have values of zero.
Players can also place a Super Six Bet, which pays out if the Banker Hand wins with a score of 6 or higher. Pair bets, which pay out if the Player and Banker have matching pairs of cards, are optional. In general, it is best to bet on the Banker, as the odds of winning are much better than those of the player.