The History (And Future) Of Baccarat
Nov. 5 2024, Published 3:00 a.m. ET
It might not be as popular as blackjack, but baccarat is one of the oldest card games, with a history potentially dating back hundreds of years. For this reason, the game still remains popular in physical and online casinos, even if you are unlikely to see as many baccarat tables as you see blackjack tables. The reason for this is likely that blackjack has a lower house edge than baccarat, although it does depend on the strategy you employ when playing both of these games.
What Is Baccarat?
Baccarat is a common casino table game played in physical and online casinos, with some variants like speed baccarat becoming especially popular online (source: https://cryptonews.com/kr/gaming/evolution-speed-baccarat/). Many of these online casinos, in particular, offer a range of big bonuses and generous payment options on top of a seamless, immersive experience, all from the comfort of your own home.
In the game, two hands of two cards are dealt – one to the player and one to the house. Players bet on which hand will get closest to a total of 9, without going over that figure, or if there will be a tie. Tens and picture cards are worth 0 points, and Aces are worth 1 point. The player must take another card if their opening total is lower than 6 and stand if it is between 6 and 9. The banker may draw a third card, depending on the result of the player’s hand.
The Word Baccarat
The exact history of baccarat is a little unclear, but it is widely accepted that it originates in Italy and was first played around the 15th Century. Felix Falguiere created a game using tarot cards in 1480, calling it baccara, which meant zero in some Italian dialects at the time. The name came from the fact that picture cards were worth 0 points and that busting by reaching more than 9 points reset a hand’s score to zero.
The game is said to have been based on a Roman myth in which the gods demanded a woman roll a 9-sided die to seal her fate. A roll of 8 or 9 meant she would become a priestess while a roll of 6 or 7 would see her cast out of future religious events. Anything lower than a 6 would see her cast out. It’s easy to see how the rules of the modern game align with the religious myth.
Early Baccarat
Baccara was designed using tarot cards and was meant for rich nobles and elite classes to play. At the end of the 15th Century, following the Franco-Italian war, the game was taken to France and became popular there.
For centuries, it was a popular pastime and was played in private gaming rooms by members of the French nobility. It wasn’t until the 19th Century that the game started to take off in other countries around Europe. In 1953, Ian Fleming further popularized the game when he included it in his first James Bond book, Casino Royale. It has become a regular feature in James Bond books and movies.
Current Popularity
Blackjack is the most popular card-based casino game. This is likely because the player has some control over their hand. They can choose to hit or stand, and additional bets like doubling down and splitting give the game greater variety. Blackjack also has a very low house edge, as long as players stick to basic blackjack strategy.
Although baccarat does have a reasonably low edge, of just over 1% if the bettor bets on the house to win, this is still higher than in blackjack. Blackjack’s popularity also means that it is more widely available than baccarat, although players can find baccarat tables in most casinos and certainly online.
Why Baccarat Is Popular
The rules of baccarat are simple and there are effectively only three outcomes, which makes it very easy to learn the rules of the game:
Player win
Banker win
- Tie
Total beginners can learn the rules by watching a few quick hands, and the rules are generally displayed on the table.
Despite the existence of a “player” hand, the bettor is not involved in making any decisions after they’ve placed their bets and the game has started. All outcomes are effectively determined by the cards drawn. This helps eliminate poor decisions in determining the outcome of a bet.
The game is relatively fast paced and casinos may offer big betting opportunities. Although the odds are relatively short, at least compared to betting on an individual number in roulette, it is possible to accumulate decent winnings in a relatively short time.
Baccarat Variants
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As baccarat has spread and gained popularity, it has also seen several variants appear.
Punto Banco – This is essentially the traditional form of baccarat and is the most widely played variant in most casinos. It uses between six and eight decks of cards. The house edge is 1.24% when betting on the player and 1.06% when betting on the bank.
Baccarat Banque – In Baccarat Banque, players bid their bet value. The player with the highest bid becomes the banker, and all other players bet on themselves, as the player, to win. The players are split into two groups, sitting on either side of the banker. A bettor from each side is designated as the player for that side, according to how much they bet, and they choose the play for that side. The winning side receives a payout equivalent to 1:1.
Speed Baccarat – Speed baccarat is the same as basic baccarat but rounds take approximately half the time, which enables bettors to place more bets in a shorter space of time.
Live Dealer Online Baccarat – Live dealer online baccarat has also become popular and aims to give Internet players the same feeling of playing against the casino. The rules stay the same, and so do the betting opportunities.
The Future Of Baccarat
Live dealer baccarat and speed baccarat show the ways that online play can further develop the game, and we can expect more innovation as Internet gambling continues to expand. Cryptocurrency is another innovation that is taking over online casinos and it has also seen the advance of Telegram betting while offering faster withdrawals and fewer player restrictions.
