Baccarat is a card game that has grown in popularity in casinos across the United States. Traditionally, the elegant European game was found only in high-limit gaming areas, but in recent years it has made its way onto regular casino floors. Despite this, the game still has an air of luxury and prestige. While some players may find the rules difficult to grasp, the game is actually quite simple. There are only three possible outcomes: player win, banker win, and tie. Each hand is dealt two cards and the winner is whichever one has a total closest to 9. Baccarat is not only easy to play but it also provides an opportunity for large winnings.
The game is played with eight decks of cards that are shuffled by the dealer and placed in a dealing box, known as a shoe. Players place bets on either the player hand or banker hand to win. Bets can be placed at any time before the dealer announces “No more bets.” Players can also bet that both hands will end up with equal totals or in a tie. When betting, the player’s and banker’s cards are shown face up for all to see. Cards numbered 2 through 9 count at their face value and the ten, jack, queen, or king counts as zero. Aces count as one point.
During the first scene of Casino Royal, Bond meets Largo at a baccarat table where they have a playful duel. Although Bond loses the first round, he wins the second with a nine and a ten for a total of nine. After Bond wins, the game seems almost personal as Largo bets against him again and again.
The exact origin of Baccarat is unknown, but historians believe it was invented in 1500s Rome by Felix Falguiere. Falguiere modeled his version of the game after an Etruscan legend of a virgin who had to throw a nine-sided die to determine her fate. If she threw an 8 or 9, she was elevated to the status of priestess; if she threw a lower number, she was banished to the sea to drown.
Today, baccarat is played worldwide and has become one of the most popular casino games in Asia and Europe. The United States has recently seen a rise in its popularity and it is now the seventh most popular casino game. In America, the game is largely confined to the ‘high roller’ circles and the minimum bets can be very pricey. Despite this, many players are attracted to the game’s elegance and prestige, as well as its low house edge. Unlike blackjack, which has an 8% house edge, baccarat has a much lower house edge of only 2%. This makes it a profitable game to play, especially for those with substantial bankrolls. For this reason, it’s a popular choice for big Asian players who are looking to maximize their profits. In addition to its high profit potential, baccarat is an exciting game to play and has the added benefit of being relatively fast paced.