Baccarat may seem like a complicated casino game, but it’s actually one of the easiest table games in town. With a low house edge and James Bond-inspired elegance, the game is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a simple Las Vegas casino experience with a little class.
The game is played with six, seven or eight standard decks of 52 cards each. Players sit around a table and place bets on either the player or banker hand, or a tie. In most cases the dealer sets the initial betting amount. After one player “goes bank,” the other players can add bets in counterclockwise order. A winning bet pays out 1:1, but a 5% commission is charged by the house on wins on the Banker’s hand.
While the game itself is quite simple, there are several strategies used by advanced players to reduce the house edge. One popular strategy involves watching for double win streaks in shoes and betting accordingly. Another involves using a pattern system that takes into account how the cards are dealt. A third popular technique is called “edge sorting,” which involves dropping the first digit in a total of cards (seven and an eight, for example, make 15, so 15 gets dropped to three).
In recent years, baccarat has become the number one casino game worldwide and continues to grow in popularity in the United States. It’s a great choice for players looking to enjoy a high-class gaming experience and claim casino bonuses.