Baccarat is often associated with high rollers and luxury, but it’s also accessible to players with smaller bankrolls. Its simple rules and straightforward gameplay mean that it can be played by anyone who has a little bit of knowledge about cards. The game’s history stretches back over 500 years to medieval Italy, where it was played by noblemen and aristocrats. Today, its three variants—baccarat banque, baccarat chemin de fer, and punto banco—are popular in casinos worldwide.
A card game for two opposing sides—player and banker—players place bets on which hand they think will win. A dealer deals two cards to each hand face up, visible to all at the table. Whichever hand totals closest to nine wins the round. If neither hand is a “natural,” the dealer draws an additional card to determine the winner. In the event of a tie, the game ends and bets are paid out. The dealer will collect lost bets and pay winning bets to the player or banker. The dealer will also collect a 5% commission on winning bets placed on the Banker’s hand, which is added to the banker’s initial stake.
The house edge on bets placed on the Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand are equal, but there is a third bet—the tie—that pays off eight to one, but has a higher house advantage of over 14 percent. Most serious players stick to the Player and Banker bets, which have a lower house edge than most other casino games.
Unlike other card games, baccarat is a fixed game with a set of rules that govern when a third card is drawn. A player must decide whether to bet on the Player, Banker, or Tie. Then, they must choose how much to wager. The player must make the decision quickly, as the game is played fast.
A resurgence in popularity for the game has led to its appearance in many recent movies and television shows, including the 2013 movie The Great Gatsby. In the film, the game is featured at one of the lavish parties thrown by Jay Gatsby. Baccarat has also become increasingly popular online, where players can enjoy it at online casinos in a variety of settings and configurations.
The game has even been featured in several filmed adaptations of the James Bond franchise, with the most detailed treatment in the 1967 version of Casino Royal, where Bond defeats Le Chiffre at the table. Other films featuring the game include On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Thunderball, and GoldenEye. In addition, baccarat is available at a wide variety of land-based casinos. It is played in the high-limit rooms of some brick and mortar establishments, while others feature baccarat tables alongside other casino games like blackjack. Many of these venues offer low minimum bets, making the game accessible to many more players than it would be otherwise.