A Deep Dive into Baccarat: The Elegant Casino Game
Baccarat may have a reputation as a high-stakes game for the elite, but it's actually one of the easiest casino games to learn. The game's low house advantage and simple gameplay make it a fantastic choice for anyone visiting a casino.
The Goal of the Game
In Baccarat, you are not playing against the dealer or other players; you are betting on the outcome of two hands, named the Player and the Banker. The aim is to wager on the hand—Player or Banker—that will end up with a higher score. You can bet on the Player's hand to win, the Banker's hand to win, or for the hands to Tie.
How Points are Calculated
Cards 2-9: Are worth their face value. 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings (Face Cards): Are worth zero points. Aces: Count as one.
The score of a hand is the rightmost digit of the sum of the cards. If you have a 7 and an 8, your total is 5 (from 15). A "natural" is a two-card hand totaling 8 or 9, and it is an automatic win unless both hands are a natural of the same value (a tie).
Understanding Your Options
Your involvement ends after you place your bet. The game proceeds based on a predetermined set of drawing rules. Here’s a breakdown of the three bets and their house edge.
Bet Expected Loss Notes
Bet on Banker Extremely Low (1.06%) Despite a 5% commission on wins, this is the smartest bet you can make. It has the lowest house edge of the three.
The Player Bet ~1.24% This wager is almost as good as the Banker bet and is a perfectly acceptable choice.
The Tie Bet Extremely High (over 14%) Never make the Tie bet. The probability of it occurring is very low, casino and the house advantage is huge.
If you want to play with the best possible odds, your strategy should be to bet on the Banker every time. It might seem repetitive, but it is the mathematically soundest way to play the game. With its elegant pace and player-friendly odds, it's easy to see why baccarat remains so popular.