How to Play Baccarat

Baccarat is a casino game that’s both simple to play and easy to learn. It’s a great choice for high rollers and anyone looking for a James Bond-style gambling experience.

The game involves betting on either the Player or Banker hand, with the dealer doing all the work for you. A winning hand pays 95% of your bet, while a tie offers an 8-to-1 payout. Score sheets are available at live baccarat tables for players to keep track of their results.

A baccarat table features 12 seats, six on each side of the dealer, and green felt covers the entire area. The layout indicates which bets are placed, and the cards are shuffled and dealt by the croupier (dealer). Eight 52-card packs are used.

Each player is dealt two cards, one for the Player hand and one for the Banker hand. The first two cards of each hand are placed on the layout labeled PLAYERS, and the point count is determined for each hand. If a hand’s point count is eight or nine, it’s called a natural and the hand ends.

Once the point count has been determined, the croupier deals two cards to each of the two hands, one at a time from a shoe. If a player wins, he’s paid out on his Banker bet, while if the banker win, he’s paid out on his Player bet.

While the game’s name comes from the French word for zero, it was actually invented in Italy. It’s based on an Etruscan legend about a virgin throwing a nine-sided die to determine her fate. If she threw an 8, she was considered a priestess; if she threw a 6, she was banished to the sea and drowned.

The game is played with eight 52-card packs, each card numbered from 2 to 9. 10-count cards (tens, jacks, queens, and kings) are worth zero points, while picture cards and tens count as one.

A croupier (dealer) will deal the cards from a shoe, which releases one card at a time face down. The dealer will then toss the cards into a discard bowl.

The croupier will then draw a third card for each of the two hand. The player’s third card is determined by standard house rules, but the dealer can draw a third card for the banker if the banker’s total is 3 or less.

Baccarat is a game that requires little skill to play, but some players do struggle with it. This is particularly true of beginners, but there are some key strategies to help you play smarter.

Strategy 1. Follow bank streaks.

Since baccarat is a coin flip game, you should always try to bet on a bank streak. This will help you avoid the negative house edge. However, you should be careful to monitor your outlay.

2. Know when to stand or hit.

Although a lot of players shy away from baccarat due to its classic Bond movie setting, the game is actually a very simple game to learn and play. It also has a low house edge, which makes it a great choice for high-rollers.