Baccarat
Much like poker, baccarat is played in a separate area of the casino. Though the table is the same size as a craps table, the two games have little in common. In baccarat, the game consists of three dealers and up to 12 to 14 players.

There are two main bets you can make in baccarat, Banco and Punto, another bet, Standoff, is rarely used. In some casinos the players take turns dealing the cards, and in others only casino dealers can handle the deck. In online baccarat games the cards are dealt by a virtual dealer.

All players, including the dealer, makes a bet on either Punto, the player, or Banco, the bank. Generally the dealer will bet on Banco, but it is not required. The dealing player keeps the 'shoe' as long as the bank continues to win, once Punto wins the shoe is passed.

Only two hands are dealt in baccarat, and players bet on which hand they think will win, or they bet standoff for a tie. The payoff for the two bets is even money, 1:1, and the standoff pays 8-1 or 9-1. The only real difference between the two bets is a 5% tax, taken by the casino, for a win on Banco.

Although this seems like a good reason to bet Punto, the reason the casino taxes wins on Banco is because it has been proven that over an 8 deck card play, Banco will win three or four times more than Punto.

The hands consist of either 2 or 3 cards, and the person dealing will place two cards under the shoe, face down. The dealer then gives the player with the largest Punto bet two more cards, also facing down. After the Punto player checks the cards he/she gives them back to the dealer, who then turns over
the cards of both hands. A casino dealer then announces who wins the game, before a new game is dealt.