Baccarat Casino Game
Baccarat is one of the oldest casino games, dating back to the 14th century when it was brought from Italy to France. The name of the game comes from the Italian word “baccarat”, which, translated into English means “zero”. There is a pretty good explanation for the name, though.
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In Baccarat, all tens, jacks, kings and queens have a zero value. The same applies to any hand that totals zero. For instance, a hand of seven and three makes zero and therefore baccarat.
You can now play baccarat online for free or try real money baccarat for exciting payouts. Bet on the Banker or Player to see who gets closest to 9. And with great side bets like Perfect Pair, you can have even more fun at our best online casinos. Aside from our free baccarat game, we also have an exclusive guide on playing baccarat. Baccarat is an exciting game, full of suspense and intrigue! Baccarat is both simple to learn and play. A game of baccarat has three possible outcomes: Player win, Banker win, and tie. Note that “Banker” does not refer to the house.
The most trustworthy historical sources claim that Baccarat derives from the Italian word for zero, but there are some arguments about the origin of the game because the French word “Baccarat” also means zero. According to the most popular version for the origin of Baccarat, it was invented by Felix Falguiere, an avid gambler from Italy. Initially, Baccarat was played with Tarot cards.
King Louis XIV, known as one of the most powerful French rulers, banned all forms of gambling, but instead of decreasing the interest in such kind of games, the prohibition had the opposite effect. Baccarat became even more popular and the French version Chemin de Fer or Chemmy, for short, became widespread.
Although the first records for the game date back to the 1400s, it was not until the 19th century when Baccarat started gaining popularity in Europe. Before that, it was mainly popular among French royalty.
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As mentioned above, Baccarat became a commonly played game in Europe in the 19th century and there was a preferred variation in every country. Yet, the interest for the Chemin de Fer variation prevailed in Europe, but according to various sources, Punto Banco was the most frequently played variation in the UK. Actually, it was the English variation that became popular in the US as American Baccarat.
Apart from being popular among the French nobility, the game was also widespread among high rollers. It is a well-known fact that the most passionate players were keen on Baccarat and made huge single bets.
As time passed by, a lot of Baccarat versions emerged, and quite a few of them remained popular throughout the years. Some of the most commonly played Baccarat versions include Punto Banco, Baccarat Banquet, and Chemin de Fer.
All Baccarat variations basically have the same rules, but the way of dealing cards is the thing that sets them apart from one another.
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Baccarat Variations
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Nowadays, the most popular variations in the US seem to be Punto Banco and Mini Baccarat where players are supposed to bet on one out of three possible outcomes. Mini Baccarat is a popular Baccarat variation for a reason.
The increasing popularity of baccarat led to the invention of Mini Baccarat where the low table limits and simplified rules attracted mass players. Today, one can indulge in a game of Baccarat even if they have an average bankroll size. The big table Baccarat versions usually have pretty high table limits, which makes them a preferred option of the high rollers, while Mini Baccarat tables have more reasonable limits.
As for the online Mini Baccarat games, they follow the American rules. The random number generator is responsible for the fairness of the game and an equal chance of winning by all participants. Some casinos also offer live dealer baccarat games where you interact with a croupier and keep a close eye on how the game action unfolds.
Nowadays, Baccarat can be found in every brick and mortar casino in every part of the globe. Chemin de Fer, the French variation of Baccarat, became popular in England, but this variation went through some rule changes and today it is known as European Baccarat.
Tommy Renzoni brought the game to the US and the variation he introduced was a combination of European Baccarat and the aforementioned Chemin de Fer. Despite the small changes in the rules, the game remained appealing to high rollers and players from high social classes.
Baccarat in Brick-And-Mortar Casinos
Baccarat is known as a game that attracts elite players and high rollers. It is among the games that have the lowest house edge of approximately 1%.
The French version of Baccarat, Chemin de Fer, also known as European Baccarat, was introduced in US casinos in the middle of the 20th century. At first, it had complicated rules and players were supposed to take turns and take the role of a banker. The game also required three dealers to be involved.
The game became mainly popular among wealthy players as the stakes were pretty high for mass players and they preferred the well-known blackjack and roulette variations instead.
Later, these issues were figured out and Baccarat became more affordable to mass players. The rules were also simplified and there was no need for three dealers to run the game. Players had to place an initial bet on the player, banker, or a “tie”. The stakes became lower and the dealer was in charge of the entire game action.
Baccarat Online
The online casino industry emerged in the 1990s and since then has been subject to rapid development. Gone are the days of the slow computers and troublesome dial-up networks. Things have greatly improved since the dawn of the online gambling sector.
Baccarat is now a widespread game and you are unlikely to come across a reputable online casino that does not have at least one Baccarat variation in its portfolio.
Fast connection speed, as well as the latest technology, has enabled players to enjoy sharp graphics and user-friendly interface regardless of the device they use, be it a computer or a smartphone.
In point of fact, playing baccarat online is typically more lucrative as the stakes are usually lower.
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Baccarat Casino Game Free
Baccarat is a casino card game which has multiple variations. It’s traditionally considered a high roller game, and it’s also a little old-fashioned. It offers gamblers no chance to affect the odds via decision-making, but it might be a reasonably fun guessing game for a certain type of person. This page provides an introduction to the history of the game, some advice for learning how to play, and some thoughts on winning strategies.
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The History of Baccarat
The name of the game means “zero” in both Italian and French. I’ve seen sources that claim that version of baccarat date back to the late 15th century, making it one of the oldest games played in modern casinos.
Baccarat didn’t become popular in the United States until the 1950s, and some might argue that it’s not especially popular there now. For years, baccarat was presented as the game of choice for James Bond, but eventually it became so old-fashioned that they updated Bond to a poker player. (See the movie Casino Royale, where Bond plays Texas hold’em for the first time onscreen—in most of his previous appearances, he played baccarat.)
How to Play Baccarat
In some respects, baccarat is similar to blackjack. Both games feature playing cards, and both games have the player comparing her hand with the dealer’s to see who wins. That’s where the similarities end, though.
Numbered cards are scored according to their face value. Face cards are worth 0, and aces are worth 1. These points are totaled, and the value of the right digit in the total is the determining factor for winning. So the final score on any baccarat hand is a total of 0 through 9.
The casinos have elaborate rules and procedures for how the hands are played. If the player or banker has a total of 8 or 9, then the hand is considered a natural. If the player has a total of 5 or less, the player has to hit—otherwise the player has to stand. If the player stands, the banker must hit a total of 5 or less, but if the player hits, the banker has to consult a chart to determine whether or not to hit.
The winner is the person with the higher score. Winning bets pay off at even odds, UNLESS the player is betting on the banker to win. In that case, the casino takes a 5% commission.
How to Win at Baccarat
The player doesn’t get to make any decisions besides how much to bet on each hand, and on what, so there’s not much strategy to baccarat. In fact, the only strategy worth mentioning is to take the one bet at the table with the lowest house edge.
A bet on the banker in baccarat has a house edge of 1.06%. A bet on the player has a 1.24% edge.
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Players can also bet on a tie, but that’s such an outlandishly bad bet that I’d be surprised if anyone exercises the option. The house edge on that bet is 14.36%.
Some people might try to use a Martingale System strategy on baccarat, but that strategy doesn’t work for baccarat any more than it does for roulette or any other game.
The Martingale Strategy requires a player to double her bet after every loss. When she eventually wins, she’ll recoup all of her losses plus a single betting unit.
Baccarat Casino Game Rules
The problem with this strategy is that it would only work if the player had an infinitely large bankroll and no betting limits.
The fallacy behind the Martingale Strategy is that it assumes that long losing streaks are much rarer than they actually are. The Martingale is particularly ill-suited for baccarat because the game is traditionally played at fairly high limits to begin with. Doubling a $100 bet three or four times in a row results in some very high wagers indeed.
Look at what $100 turns into when double eight times in a row. $100, $200, $400, $800, $1600, $3200, $6400, and $12,800. Just to place all those wagers would cost a player over $25,000. And if, after that losing streak, the player won…well, she’d only be up by $100. I don’t know anyone who thinks that risking almost $13,000 to net a win of $100 is a good strategy.
How Do You Play Baccarat
Besides that, few casinos will allow bets beyond a certain limit. I don’t know of any online casino which would accept that kind of action, but even a high roller who found a brick and mortar casino who did accept that kind of action wouldn’t be able to change the immutable negative odds.
Online Baccarat
Baccarat might be a fun little guessing game, but it’s got about as much strategy as flipping a coin. Only when you’re flipping a coin, you’ve got even odds—in baccarat, the house has an edge. Play it for fun if you want to, and don’t be afraid to walk away a winner, but forget about finding a way to gain an edge over the casino with this game. It’s not going to happen.