When you bet on baccarat, you place your wagers in the betting areas for either the Player hand, the Banker hand or a tie. Each hand is dealt two cards by a dealer who places them in front of the players. The objective is to determine which hand will come closest to nine. Picture cards and Tens are worth zero points, numbered cards count as their face value, and the Ace counts as one point. When a total goes beyond 9, the first digit is dropped and only the second digit matters.
The game is played in a circular table with anywhere from seven to 14 seats. The Player and Banker areas are marked with a large P and B. The Player and Banker hands are dealt from a multi-deck shoe. The goal is to win by placing a bet on the hand you think will score closest to 9. You can bet on the Player hand, the Banker hand or both.
Baccarat is one of the oldest casino games, and it has a long and varied history. The game originated in Italy and was developed from a tale of an Etruscan goddess who had to throw a dice to determine her fate. If she threw an 8 or 9, she was elevated to priestess status, while a 6 or lower meant that she would be banished to the sea to die.
Today, baccarat is a popular game in the US and around the world. It is a simple game to learn and can be enjoyed by all levels of gamblers. The rules of the game are relatively straightforward, although there are a few important differences between the American version of the game and the traditional Italian version.
Once all bets have been placed, the dealer deals a card into the Player box and then another into the Banker box. If the initial totals of both the Player and Banker are 8 or 9 (known as a “natural win”), that round is over and all placed bets are paid out. If neither the Player nor the Banker has an 8 or a 9, a third card may be drawn based on the rules of the game for that type of hand.
If the initial total is a 6, then the player must stand; otherwise, they must draw a third card. The same rule applies to a banker with a 6. Depending on the rules of the game, a third card may also be drawn if the initial total is 7 or 8.
While the Player and Banker bets have the best odds of winning, there are several other side bets you can make. These bets pay out different odds if they are successful and vary by establishment and platform. They include the Player Pair Bet, which wagers that the player will receive identical cards on the deal, and the Banker Pair Bet, which pays out 11:1 odds. There is also the Tie Bet, which pays out at 1:1 minus a 5 percent commission.