What is Baccarat?

Baccarat (pronounced ba:kraet) is one of the most elegant card games in the world. Whether in sticky-floored California card rooms or the tuxedo-laden casinos of Monaco, Baccarat has always enjoyed an image of exclusivity and sophistication. The game’s popularity has grown considerably in recent years, as Asian high rollers have made it their casino of choice. As such, it now accounts for the lion’s share of revenue generated by Macau casinos.

Baccarat is a game of chance that requires little skill. It’s played on a table similar to that used for craps, with from seven to 14 seats and an area for the dealer, called a “pit.” Six decks of cards are shuffled together and players sit in random order around the oval table; discarded cards go to the center. Once the players’ bets have been placed, two hands of cards are dealt: the player hand and the banker hand. The objective is to wager on which hand will have a total value closest to nine. If either hand has a total of eight or nine, it wins; otherwise, it loses. A ten counts as zero, and all other cards count as their face value. The croupier, who is called the baccarat vigorish, is responsible for announcing all decisions and betting results.

In the modern version of Baccarat, a pit and a baccarat table are staffed by three casino employees: two dealers who take bets from players, and a croupier who deals the cards. A croupier is also in charge of the monetary transactions, and is required to have a license from the state in which they work. Baccarat is a high-limit game, and the minimum bet varies by casino. Typically, it is $20 or $25 per hand.

A croupier is also required to keep track of the winning and losing bets, and to collect them accordingly. The croupier’s role in a baccarat game is to decide which side to bet on and to call the correct odds for the player or the banker hand. The croupier may also be responsible for collecting a commission from the banker, depending on the rules of the game and the jurisdiction in which it is played.

Players bet on either the player’s or the banker’s hand, and can also choose to bet on a tie. Each hand is dealt two cards, and the value of each hand is determined by adding the values of the individual cards and removing the tens digit. If the hand is a player or banker, and the sum of the cards is eight or nine, it wins. If the hand is a tie, it pays out 1:1.

The game of baccarat has long been a favorite of high rollers, and even multi-billionaires such as Kerry Packer have dropped enormous amounts on the tables. However, even the largest bets cannot put a dent in the huge profit margin that Las Vegas Strip casinos enjoy from this game. The house edge is incredibly low, and can be reduced further by using a technique called “card counting.” This is not an easy task, however, and it is very difficult for most people to master.