Baccarat – How to Win Big at Baccarat
From the sticky floor of a California card room to the tuxedo-laden casinos of Singapore and Macau, baccarat is one of the world’s biggest casino games. And while its reputation for high rollers and luxury is a given, it doesn’t have to be out of reach to the average player. In fact, with its low house edge, baccarat can actually be quite profitable for players who play smartly.
Whether you’re playing the Punto Banco or Chemin de Fer forms of the game, the rules are fairly straightforward. You place your chips in the betting areas marked Player or Banker and whichever hand totals closest to 9 wins. You can also choose to bet on a tie. The winnings from a Player or Banker bet are paid out according to specific odds, while a Tie bet pays 8-1. Regardless of the bet you select, the rules of dealing and determining a winner are governed by strict regulations.
While the exact origin of baccarat isn’t entirely clear, most believe it originated in Europe as an alternative to gambling and betting on horse races. Some historians think Felix Falguiere, who created the modern version of the game, based it on an Etruscan legend in which throwing a nine-sided dice determined the fate of a virgin. Others believe baccarat’s roots are in ancient Roman rituals that decided life or death by rolling a die or drawing a card.
Once the game moved to France, it was adopted by King Charles VIII and spread throughout the nobility. It didn’t take long for the popularity of baccarat to become global, and by the end of the 19th century, the game was a staple on every casino floor.
The game is played a little differently today than it was in the past, but its popularity continues to grow worldwide. In 2017, Macau’s casinos made more money from baccarat than any other casino game, and even on the Las Vegas Strip, baccarat has proven to be a big draw for Asian high rollers.
Baccarat’s appeal is easy to understand: It’s a simple, elegant, and fast-paced game that has some of the best odds in any casino. Players who employ basic blackjack strategy face a disadvantage of just 0.5 percent; in baccarat, the edge is a low 1.3 percent. That’s a big difference when it comes to a bet that is as risky as betting on a coin toss.
But while baccarat has the odds of a winner, it’s not without its risks and pitfalls. To mitigate these, many players turn to advanced strategies and systems of play. One popular option is the D’Alembert system, in which players adjust their bet size after each win or loss. It’s an effective way to balance losses and wins over time, and can help maximize your profits.