Table of Contents
We have covered many different topics involving Xgtiger Casino baccarat. But the main things you need to know include different bets and house edges. As long as you understand these aspects, you should have no problem playing baccarat and using the perfect strategy. Many players appreciate that they can place the same bet and play perfectly every time.
Of course, if you play a lot of baccarat, it’s good to know how scoring and dealing work. These concepts may seem daunting at first but are not difficult to understand once you understand them.
It’s interesting to learn about the history behind baccarat and some tidbits about James Bond. These themes suggest that baccarat has a rich history and will live on in casinos and movies.
James Bond loves baccarat
The 2006 film Casino Royale was the last James Bond film to revolve around gambling. Texas Hold’em was featured in the film to reflect the poker craze that was going on at the time.
But Bond used to prefer chemin de fer to all casino games.
Ian Fleming’s series of novels often feature 007 as Chemin de Fer. These include the 1953 novel Casino Royale, in which Bond must defeat SMERSH agent Le Chiffre at baccarat.
The 1954 TV adaptation of Casino Royale (climax!) featured Bond putting Le Chiffre out of business so his Soviet bosses could get rid of him.
Dr. No was first introduced to baccarat in a James Bond movie. This 1967 film shows Chemin de Fer starring Sean Connery and Sylvia Trench (Eunice Grayson).
After losing to Bond, Trench suggests they raise the stakes. Trench draws an 8, but Bond draws a 9, beating him again.
Other films featuring baccarat include Thunderball (1965), Casino Royale (1967), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), For Your Eyes Only (1981) and GoldenEye (1995).
The Macanese love baccarat — and they love superstition
Baccarat is the most popular casino game in Macau.
According to Quartz, 91 percent of Macau’s gaming revenue in 2014 came from baccarat. That compares to 24% in Las Vegas at the time.
This was the height of the game’s popularity. But baccarat still holds the attention of most tourists in Macau.
What makes baccarat so exciting in this Asian gaming mecca is superstition. CNN reports that players can do some things they can’t do in US casinos.
These include pressing the cards, slowly peeking through the cards, and creasing the cards. The purpose of the slow peeking and creasing is to create suspense while looking forward to the 9.
Players also like to blow cards to blow low numbers. Another superstition is betting against players when they win and against them when they lose.
“They look for a trend of three or three in a row, whether it’s the house or the player, and then bet on four or five,” said Ray Rody, a gaming professor at Macau’s Millennium College.
“Gamblers who believe in this kind of luck walk the casino looking for tables that show the trend.”
Some casinos have computer monitors on mini-baccarat tables to help players see trends over the past 20-30 rounds.
You can find baccarat with a reduced commission
I mentioned earlier how the casino takes a 5% commission on winning house bets. But there is also the rare game of baccarat, where the casino only charges a 4% commission.
That may not seem like a big difference. But this reduces the house advantage from 1.06% to 0.60%.
In terms of house edge, baccarat’s reduced commission is comparable to Jacks or Better video poker (0.46% house edge) and premium blackjack (0.50%).
The best part is that you don’t have to use a reduced-rake game strategy. All you have to do is keep letting the dealer bet every time.
The only problem is that 4% of the rake games are almost impossible to find.
Casino D in Las Vegas used to host games with a reduced rake. But in recent years they have dismantled the tables.
The only US casino currently offering a 4% rake is the Isleta Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Albuquerque is not close to any other major cities, making it remote. However, if you want to get the best baccarat casino edge, it might be worth a visit.
Commission-free baccarat – but you shouldn’t play it
Baccarat is commission-free – but you shouldn’t play it
If 4% rake baccarat reduces the house edge to 0.60%, then baccarat without rake must be a dream, right?
These games are common in Vegas casinos. But you don’t want to play them because they are worse than regular poker tables.
As the name suggests, no commission is charged for a winning bet at the bookmaker. But be aware that if the dealer wins 6, it will only pay 50% of the bet.
This happens 5.39% of the time, which makes a difference when you only get 50% of your payout.
House betting has a house edge of 1.46% and commission-free baccarat. This is not as good as the normal house edge of 1.06%.
If you want to try a cool variation of baccarat in Vegas, check out EZ Baccarat.
The game also does not take commission from house bets. The good news is that the house edge is only 1.02%.
This differs from the standard no-commission game in that any three-card 7 the dealer wins is a draw.
There is a 2.25% chance of this happening. Compare this to the unfavorable rules of no-commission baccarat, where you get paid 50% when the banker wins with 6 (5.39%).
Baccarat offers Fun Side Bets
There are not many types of bets in baccarat. This is why many casinos add side bets to enhance the game.
Available side bets depend on the brick-and-mortar casino or online casino. But here are some of the most common bets:
Big bets; 4.35% house edge – A bet on whether the Player and Banker will have a combined hand of 5 or 6 cards. Pays 0.54:1 bets.
Small bets; 5.27% house edge – A bet on whether the Player and Banker get 4 cards in a row. Pays 1.5:1 bets.
Dragon 7; 7.60% House Edge – Commonly found in the game of EZ Baccarat, this is a bet on whether the banker will win with a three card total of 7. The odds are 40:1.
Dragon Bonus (Player’s Side); 2.70% House Edge – Betting that the Player’s side will win with a Natural or 4 or more.
Lucky Bonus; 1.11% House Edge – bet if the banker wins with 6. This bet gives the Player an edge of 2.34%, but you have to risk up to 10% of the Banker’s bet.
Panda 8; 10.19% House Edge – Another common EZ Baccarat side bet, this bet is based on the dealer winning a three-card total of 8. The odds are 25:1.
Royal Tournament; 2.13% House Edge – Betting the Banker or Player’s first two cards to get a K-Q suited or unsuited combination. Suit king-queen odds are 75:1, non-suit king-queen odds are 30:1.
Conclusion
Are you an avid gaming fan and wondering how to bet on online casino games? At Xgtiger Casino, you will get the latest information on this year’s best casino games and a variety of gaming options, all in one place.
To start your online gambling journey, all you need to do is create an account on the site, deposit funds and you will be ready to bet on the best and most anticipated casino games.
Frequently Asked Questions
To compensate, the House pays for 19 for 20 on Banker bets and 1 for 1 on Player bets. With all that, the House advantage is 1.06% on the Banker bet, and 1.24 on the Player bet, very reasonable compared to most other casino games, and one doesn’t have to learn a complicated card-counting routine/system.