Baccarat is one of the world’s most beloved casino games for good reason – its simplicity makes it ideal for beginner and veteran casino gamers alike. No complicated strategies or gamesmanship required here! Plus it boasts one of the lowest house edges around! With such success comes side bets, variations and other ways of playing – but its original format, Punto Banco (chemmy), remains most prevalent globally.

Bet on whether the player or banker will win or if there will be a tie. Each hand receives two cards that add together to create an overall total, with the hand closest to nine being declared the winner. A dealer/croupier distributes cards in a circular pattern beginning with either side’s hand before moving onto their opponent’s hands until all have received no more than three cards from either side.

Bets on the Player hand are wagers placed against whether the total of their hand will surpass that of Banker, with payout being 1:1 (even money). While Banker bets have lower house edges than Player bets, but also come with a 5% commission fee, which helps the casino make money.

Baccarat dates back at least 500 years. Originating in Italy and becoming popular with upper class and aristocrats until it eventually reached France during the 15th century. Later, its popularity spread into America among high rollers and Asian clients.

Baccarat has spread across the world since its introduction, drawing players seeking an exciting, high-end casino experience. Its simplicity, low house edge and reputation as a game for the wealthy have fuelled its global growth; now there are even online casinos dedicated solely to this form of game play.

According to Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control Agent, casino dealer, and executive who literally wrote the book on managing casino games, baccarat is the game of choice among Asian high rollers. Zender’s research demonstrates that its house edge on banker and player bets stands at only 1.2% making it one of the most profitable casino games – not to mention how fast each round typically concludes in under one minute!

Though baccarat is generally a game of chance, some players employ betting systems to increase their odds of victory. One such strategy is the Martingale system; this involves doubling your bet after each loss and hoping a future win will recoup all previous losses and produce equal profits to that initial bet. This approach works best with large bankrolls and disciplined players willing to stick with it; even the most skilled baccarat players lose some bets!