Baccarat is a card game that often evokes images of high-rollers in tuxedos and women in posh evening gowns laying down chips at an opulent casino. However, despite its mystique, this exciting game is actually quite simple to understand and play. In fact, if you know some basic rules and strategy, you can easily get started playing Baccarat online today!
The objective of the game is to correctly predict which hand will win a round and then place your bets accordingly. Players can bet on the Player, Banker or Tie hand and each hand is ranked based on its total value. A nine is the highest hand, while a seven and eight are also strong hands. Ten and picture cards are worth 0 points, while aces count as one point. Points add up in double digits, and when they go over 9 they become the second digit. The goal of the game is to have a hand total closest to 9.
Whether you prefer to bet on the Player or Banker side, or even on a tie, placing your chips in the appropriate participant space will determine which hand you will back in that round. Once you’ve placed your chips, the dealer will deal two cards to each gaming spot and the hand with the total closest to 9 wins the round. Alternatively, you can choose to make a bet on the Banker winning, which offers a lower house edge than a Player bet (typically 1.06%).
After the dealer compares the Player and Banker hands, they will announce the winner and pay out their winners. Regardless of which side you bet on, remember to always place your money on the Banker’s side, as this wager is more likely to result in a victory.
Aside from betting on the Player or Banker, baccarat offers a few other interesting side bets. Depending on the platform or establishment, these bets can give you more chances to win. For example, the Super Six Bet allows you to wager that the Banker will receive a pair on the deal and pays out 11:1 odds.
Another option is the Pair Bet, which works similarly to the Super Six Bet and offers a much higher payout (12x your bet). However, the only way you can win this bet is to have the first two cards match and the other hand must not have an 8. You should always look for trends in the game as well, as this can be a profitable strategy. In addition, DraftKings offers specialty baccarat variations like Lunar New Year Baccarat that change the feel of the game based on the lunar calendar. This is an excellent way to change up your strategy and keep the game fresh.