The 60-Second Beginner Guide
Baccarat feels fancy, but it is literally the easiest game in the casino to play because you don't have to make any decisions! The dealer deals two hands on the table: one named "Player" and one named "Banker". All you have to do is guess which hand will get a score closer to 9, and place your bet on it. That's it! The dealer does all the math and draws all the cards automatically. 10s and Face cards are worth absolutely zero. If the score goes into double digits (like 14), you just ignore the 1 (so the score is 4). Sit back, sip a drink, and see if your guess was right!
1. Setup
- 1Players do not receive their own cards. Instead, there are only two hands dealt on the table: the "Player" hand and the "Banker" hand.
- 2Before any cards are dealt, you must place your casino chips in one of three betting circles in front of you: betting that the Player will win, betting the Banker will win, or betting they will Tie.
2. How to Play
The dealer gives 2 cards to the Player hand and 2 cards to the Banker hand.
The point values of the hands are calculated.
Based on a strict set of casino rules (the "tableau"), the dealer will automatically determine if the Player or Banker needs to draw a third card. You do not make any decisions here; the dealer handles it all automatically!
Scoring
- •The goal is for a hand to get a point total as close to 9 as possible.
- •Cards 2-9 are worth face value. Aces are worth 1. All 10s and Face Cards (J, Q, K) are worth ZERO.
- •If a hand's total goes over 9, you drop the first digit. For example, a 7 and an 8 equals 15. Drop the 1, and the hand's score is exactly 5.
Winning Conditions
- ✓If you bet on the Player hand and it gets closer to 9 than the Banker, you win 1:1 on your money.
- ✓If you bet on the Banker hand and it wins, you win 1:1 (minus a small 5% casino commission).
- ✓If you bet on a Tie and they have the exact same score, you win a massive 8:1 payout! (If they tie and you bet on Player/Banker, you just get your bet back as a push).