Baccarat is often associated with high stakes and big money stakes, yet remains relatively easy to play. You place bets on either the Player, Banker, or Tie hand to win each round; winning hands total closest to nine points which is determined by adding up all cards together using only their rightmost digit – two Aces would total seven while two Kings could total zero!
The game of Baccarat involves seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer area, where each one places his or her bets before dealing begins. After dealing out two cards – two to himself and two each to bettors – bettors compare their hands against those of both banker and bettors to see whether any total of 8 or 9 has been reached, whereupon any winning bets will immediately be paid out; otherwise resulting hands are calculated and winners determined.
Players have more betting options available to them beyond Player, Banker, or Tie: Super Six and Pair Bet side bets can offer up to 11:1 odds depending on their establishment and platform of choice.
Once all bets have been placed, the dealer will draw two cards for both banker and player before dealing a third if necessary. A winning hand is determined by which hand comes closest to 9, without going beyond 8. If any player or banker have totals of 8 then no further card will be drawn; otherwise if their first two cards total 0-5 or equal 10, an additional card may be drawn or an ‘Natural’ may stand instead which cannot lose.
Baccarat can be an exhilarating game, with plenty of fast-paced action and it may tempt you to try different strategies. However, remembering it’s a casino game with its inherent house edge means only gambling with money you can afford to lose and setting a winning limit so as to prevent losing too much. Doing this will add another layer of enjoyment and prevent any unnecessary financial drain.