Baccarat is one of the most elegant table games in any casino. It may seem complicated, but the rules are simple. The object of the game is to bet on which hand, Player or Banker, will come closest to nine (without going over). Each card has a number value. Picture cards and tens are worth zero points, while aces count as one. When all the digits in the cards add up, the final number is the winning hand. The Banker hand wins most of the time, while the Player hand wins less often. If the hands total nine, they tie. If you bet on the Player or Banker and it’s a tie, your stake will usually be returned to you.
The game of baccarat was first played in Europe and received a new lease on life in Asia, where it is very popular. In fact, high rollers tend to flock to baccarat tables in casinos around the world. The reason is that the game has a low house edge. Unlike blackjack, where a player’s decisions can greatly increase the house edge, the baccarat dealer follows a set of fixed rules and only the players have a few decisions to make.
In a typical baccarat game, the dealer deals two hands and all bets are placed before the cards are dealt. Depending on the game, there can be from seven to 14 seats for players, and the game is usually played on a large table with a special betting area for the Player’s and Banker’s hands. Each player can bet on the Player’s or Banker’s hand, and if they bet on a Tie, they will receive eight to one if it wins.