Baccarat, a card game with roots in Italy and France, is gaining popularity at casinos in the United States. While it still traces its history to the salons of Europe, its sudden surge in popularity in recent years has taken many by surprise. But what is the appeal of baccarat? How has the game risen from obscure gambling salons to the center stage of the casino floor? We enlisted the help of our resident newbie, Priestly, to explore the history, rules, and basic strategy of this sophisticated game.

Unlike poker or blackjack, which require sophisticated strategies and can quickly drain a bankroll, baccarat is a simple, relaxed game. There is no bluffing and betting is done in the presence of the dealer. Each hand is dealt from a multi-deck shoe and the goal is to bet on either the Player Hand, Banker Hand, or a tie. Cards are dealt face up and all cards except for the ace count as their value. Tens and picture cards count as zero, while aces count as one. The winning hand is the one that gets closer to nine than the opposing hand. If a hand totals over a ten, the first digit is dropped (so a seven and a five would be counted as three). There are a variety of rules governing when a third card is drawn for both the Player and Banker hands. The game can be played with anywhere from seven to 14 seats, but the most common version is called Punto Banco or EZ Baccarat in the United States. It’s faster than the French version known as Chemin de Fer and offers a simplified rule set.

The game is popular among high rollers for several reasons, including its low house edge of around 1.2 percent on player and banker bets. There is a third bet, Tie, which pays 8 to 1 but has a much higher house edge at over 14 percent and is rarely wagered on.

Baccarat has a long and storied history that goes back to medieval Italy. It eventually made its way to France, where it became the game of choice for royals and nobility. It was then introduced to American pop culture when it was featured in the 1953 novel and movie Casino Royal, starring fictional smooth-talking spy James Bond. Since then, the game has become a staple at high-end casinos and has featured in countless films, television shows, and books.