How to Play Baccarat

Considered the simplest of all casino table games, baccarat is very similar in game play to its casino neighbor blackjack. There are three different versions of baccarat. The most commonly played, today, is punt blanco, otherwise known as North American Baccarat. Mini-baccarat, the most popular version at casinos around the world currently, is a form of punto blanco. It has actually become difficult to find casinos that offer regular versions of baccarat today, at almost all casinos around the world the only version offered is mini-baccarat.

The main difference between baccarat and mini-baccarat is the minimum betting limit. At casinos that offer regular baccarat the minimum betting limit normally starts at $100 or even more, whereas the minimum betting at mini-baccarat normally begins around $5. The rules and the low house edge remain exactly the same, however. The game play is also significantly faster at mini-baccarat.

The main objective in baccarat is to have a hand as close to 9 as possible. Players must first choose the amount that they wish to bet on that hand and then select which betting option they would like to wager on. A player has three different possible betting options; player, dealer or tie.

A player selection bet is a wager that the player will have the higher hand, a dealer selection bet is a wager that the dealer will have a higher hand, and a tie is a wager that the dealer and player will have a tie – equal – hand value.