Baccarat (pronounced ba-kahra) is one of the most popular casino games. It is a simple game of chance and has no skill involved, making it a fun way to pass the time and maybe even win some money! It is played with a special table and high-denomination chips. It is usually played in an alcove, separated from the main gaming floor. Baccarat is often portrayed as a glamorous, classy game and has featured in several films and television shows.
In baccarat the players place bets on either the Player Hand or the Banker Hand. The goal is to predict which hand will total closer to nine. A winning Player bet pays out 1-to-1 even money, while a winning Banker bet pays 8-to-1 (with a 5% commission to the house on wins). Baccarat is also available as a side bet called a Super Six Bet, which rewards the player if the Player Hand has a total of 6. The payout for this bet is 12x the initial bet amount. A player may also bet on a Pair, which rewards the player if they correctly anticipate that the Player or Banker will have a pair of cards.
The game is dealt from a shoe, which contains three inter-shuffled decks. The banker is determined by auctioning the position to the first player willing to risk a certain amount. The banker then sits in a special area, facing the croupier and the table. Players on the left of the banker are called “punters”, while players on the right of the banker are called “players”. The banker continues to deal until they wish to withdraw or lose all their wagers, which they may do at any point in the game.
While the game has a reputation for being a rich man’s game, there are some strategies that can help the average punter increase their chances of winning at baccarat. The key is knowing when to bet and when not to bet, and a little bit of strategy can go a long way.
Baccarat is known in many countries as a high-stakes game and the rules of play vary slightly depending on jurisdiction. For example, some jurisdictions do not allow bets on the tie outcome. In addition, the 5% commission on banker bets is higher in some jurisdictions.
The game is a favourite of James Bond, the fictional British secret agent created by Ian Fleming. It was featured in the 1953 film version of Casino Royal, where Bond tries to bankrupt Le Chiffre at the game in an attempt to rescue his lover, Tracy. The game has also appeared in numerous other filmed adaptations of the Bond series, including Thunderball, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and GoldenEye. In a nod to the game’s glamorous history, a replica of the original baccarat table can be seen in the film Casino Royale. It was designed to be as close as possible to the original baccarat tables used at the Ritz-Carlton in Monaco and at other casinos around the world.