Prior to each deal being made, the player must bet on which hand he or she thinks will come the closest to nine. The player also has the option to bet on a tie. The players are also permitted to bet on all 3 or any combination of the 3 outcomes. Baccarat is played with 8 decks of 52 cards and is played from an eight-deck shoe.

Object of the game

The object of the game is to bet on the hand that you think will have the highest total value.

Betting

At the beginning of a hand, players have around 15 seconds in which to place their bets. As soon as the time is up the players are no longer permitted to change the bets they have placed on the hand/s.

Players will only be permitted to place bets within the table’s limits, and you will find these minimum/maximum levels presented clearly on the table in most casinos.

Card Values

Face card and 10′s have no value. Cards with a value less than 10 are counted at face value, Aces are valued at 1. Suits don’t matter. Only single digit values are valid. Any hand which reaches double digits loses the left digit. 14 is counted as 4 and 23 is counted as 3. An example of a hand is:

Player receives cards: king, 4, and 8 = 0+4+8 = 11 = 1

Play

Baccarat is usually seen as a card game only played in ‘brick and mortar’ casinos. However, with the popularity of online casinos in recent years, it’s now also available online. The same rules and strategies apply and it’s possible to win big money without even leaving your house.

To begin, the players bet on either on the Banker or the Player or, alternatively a tie between the Bankers and the Players hands. The dealer then deals two cards each; first to the player and then the banker.

A third card may be then be dealt to either or both the player and the bank depending a number of rules. Please keep in mind that it is not necessary to learn these rules to play, they are enforced decisions and consequently are automatic:

• A third card is not drawn if either the player or the bank has a total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards. The resultant hand is called a natural and the hand is over.
• If the player’s sum is lower than or equal to 5 the player’s hand draws a third card.
• If the player is not dealt a third card, the bank’s hand stands on 6 or more and is dealt a third card with a total of 5 or less.
• If the player is dealt a third card then the Bank’s third-card-rule then determines whether or not the bank takes a third card.

Bank’s third-card-rule

• If the bank’s total is 2 or less then bank draws a card, regardless of what the player’s third card is.
• If the bank’s total is 3, the bank draws a third card except in the case where player’s third card was an 8.
• If the bank’s total is 4, the bank draws a third card except when the player’s third card was a 0, 1, 8, or 9.
• If the bank’s total is 5, the bank draws a third card if the player’s third card was 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• If the banks’ total is 6, the bank draws a third card if the player’s third card was a 6 or 7.
• If the bank’s total is 7, the bank will stand.

Payouts

A win on the dealer costs players a 5% tax which is levied by the casino; this is the in-built advantage.

The reason for taxing a win on the dealer is because it has been recognised that over an 8-deck cards play, on average the dealer will win three to four hands more than the Punto.

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The objective of blackjack is to beat the dealer by accumulating cards with a point total as close to 21, without going over 21.

Face cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) have a value of 10 points. Aces are worth 1 or 11, whichever the player prefers. All other cards are represented by their number.

If the player and the House tie, it is a draw and neither the house nor the player wins. Ace and 10 (Blackjack) on the first two cards dealt is an automatic player win and pays 1.5: 1, except if the house ties. It is up to the individual player whether they want to stand or draw.

Play

To win you must beat the dealer without going bust. You go bust if your cards total is more than 21 if this happens you lose automatically. The winner is whoever has closest to a total of 21.

The blackjack table sits around six players. In most casinos either six or eight decks of cards are used and are shuffled together by the dealer and placed in a special card distributing box known as the ‘Shoe’.

Before getting any cards, players must first place a bet. The players are then dealt two cards face up, while the dealer receives one face up and one face down. Each player in turn chooses to either stay or take additional cards in order to get closer to 21 without going bust. Players who do not bust wait for the dealer’s turn. Once all the players have had their turn, the dealer flips up the facedown card. By rule, if the dealers total is 17 or higher the dealer must stay; on counts of 16 or lower the dealer must draw.

If you get a total of 21 with the first two cards (an Ace with a ten or a picture card), you win instantly (unless there is a chance that the dealer can tie). This is known as ‘Blackjack’. If you get Blackjack, you will win one and one-half times your bet unless of course the dealer also has Blackjack.

The players with a higher total than the dealer’s win an amount equal to their bet. Players with a lower count than the dealer lose their bet. If the dealer goes bust, all the enduring players win.

Betting

Once a player has placed their initial wager and received their first two cards, there are a number of other betting options which players can elect to do, depending on their first two cards. These options are listed below.

• Insurance – this is a side bet which is up to half the initial bet which was placed against the dealer, it is only allowed when the dealer’s showing card is an Ace. If the dealer then has a 10 face down and gets blackjack, the insurance bet pays at 2-1 odds, but loses if the dealer does not.
• Surrender – a player gives up their hand and loses only half their bet.
• Double Down – players are permitted to double their initial bet following the initial two-card deal, if a player decides to double down they will receive one card only.

This is often a good bet if the player is in a strong situation. Most casinos will permit players to double down on any two cards. Some casinos also allow players to double down after splitting while some will limit your doubling down to hands that total ten or eleven.

• Split Hand – players can split the initial two-cards they receive into two separate hands. This is only permitted if the two first cards are of equal value (two 3s or two kings). Use each card as the start of each separate hand. A second bet equal to the first is required in order to split.
• Even Money – this is when a player cashes in their bet immediately at a 1:1 payout ratio when dealt a natural blackjack if the dealer’s showing card is an Ace.

House advantage (approximate, these can vary with different rules)
Without a basic strategy 7% average.
With basic a strategy 0.5% or less.
Card counting can reverse the advantage up to 1% to the player.

Perfect Pairs Blackjack

Perfect Pairs is a blackjack side bet. It is played on standard blackjack tables and does not require the main game rules to be changed. All Perfect Pairs wagers are determined and dealt with at the completion of the first deal

Perfect Pairs wagers are made before any cards are dealt and must be made alongside a regular Blackjack bet on the same betting box.

Perfect Pairs bet wins if the first two cards dealt to a player are a pair and it loses if they are not a pair.

There are 3 different types of pairs and the payout odds vary appropriately:

• Mixed pair (a pair which consists of one red suited card and one black suited card. For example 4 of clubs + 4 of hearts)
• Colored pair (a pair which consists of two of same cards of the same colour but are of different suits. For example 6 of clubs + 6 of spades) example 8 of spades + 8 of clubs)
• Perfect pair (an identical pair. For example K of diamonds + K of diamonds)

Perfect Pairs rules

• A player is permitted to place a Perfect Pairs wager on any box on which the player has placed a Blackjack bet.
• A Perfect Pairs wager must have been placed before any cards in the round have been dealt
• A Perfect Pairs wager wins if the first 2 cards dealt to the player are a pair
• A Perfect Pairs wager loses if the first 2 cards dealt to the player are not a pair
• Winning Perfect Pairs wagers must be paid as per the displayed paytable
• After each player has been dealt the first 2 cards, the dealer must take all losing Perfect Pairs wagers and make a payout to each player who has a winning Perfect Pairs wager
• The dealer then goes on to deal with each player in the usual way for Blackjack

Perfect Pairs payouts

• Perfect Pair pays 30 to 1
• Colored Pair pays 10 to 1
• Mixed Pair pays 5 to 1

The house edge on Perfect Pairs blackjack side bet is 6.76%.

While you can work on perfecting the various blackjack strategies to increase your odds, it is still possible to lose money.  Before going to a casino, I recommend practicing by playing a free blackjack game to get the feel for these strategies in real time.  Your perception will change once you have real money on the table and the online casinos are a good step before going into a casino as the pressure is ramped up when you are playing at a table.  One site that I like is casinokiwi.co.nz since it shows current bonuses for signing up at the different online casinos, so once you are done playing for free you can play for real with the casinos money.

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Craps is a dice game and is one of the most exhilarating games you can play in a casino. It is not uncommon at all to hear bellowing and shouting at a craps table. It is played on a unique table and two dice are used. The dice are made following precise standards and are regularly inspected for any damage. The dice are replaced with new ones after around eight hours of use; most casinos have applied rules in the way a player handles them.

Play

To start, the Shooter (one of the players) must bet the table minimum or more, on either the Pass Line or the Don’t Pass Line (also called ‘win’ or ‘right’ bets). The shooter is given multiple dice (usually five) by the Stickman, and must select two to roll with. The remaining dice are put back in the Stickman’s Bowl and are not used.

The shooter must grip the dice with one hand only when tossing and the dice are required to hit the walls on the opposite end of the table. Should one or both dice happen to fall off the table, they must be examined (usually by the stickman) prior to putting them back into play.

The craps table can accommodate up to about 20 players, each of which get a round of throws or at ‘shooting’ the dice. If you don’t wish to throw the dice, you can bet on the thrower. Numerous types of bets can be made on the table action. The casino staff on the craps table consists of a Stickman, Boxman and two Dealers.

The game is played in rounds, with the right to roll the dice by each player rotating around the table clockwise at the end of each round. A player may elect not to roll but may continue to bet.

Every round has two separate phases – Come Out and Point.

To begin a round, the shooter makes one or more Come Out rolls. A Come Out roll of 2, 3 or 12 (known as Craps, the shooter is said to ‘crap out’) finishes the round with players losing their Pass Line bets. A Come Out roll of 7 or 11 (a Natural) causes a win for Pass Line bets. The shooter carries on making Come Out rolls until he rolls 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the number becomes the Point. The dealer then moves an On button to the point number, which indicates the second phase of the round. If the shooter then rolls the point number, the consequence is a win for bets on the Pass Line. If the shooter rolls a seven (a Seven-out), the pass line loses and the round finishes.

The initial roll of the dice in a betting round is known as the Come Out roll – a new game in Craps commences with the Come Out roll. A Come Out roll may only be made when the previous shooter fails to make a winning roll, i.e. fails to make the Point or makes a Seven-out (rolls a seven).

A new game then commences with a new shooter. Should the current shooter make his Point, the dice are then returned to him and he then starts the new Come Out roll. This is a continuation of that shooter’s roll, though technically, the Come Out roll signifies that a new game about to begin.

If the shooter does not make his/her Point, the dice are then presented to the next player for a new Come Out roll and the game continues in the same way. The new shooter is the player to the left of the former shooter.

The dice are bowled across the craps table layout which is divided into three areas – two side areas split by a centre one. Both side areas are mirror images of each other and contain the following:

–       Pass and Don’t Pass line bets

–       Come and Don’t Come bets

–       Odds bet

–       Place bets and Field bets

The centre area is shared by both side areas and contains the Proposition bets.

Pass bets triumph if the come out roll is 7 or 11, however pass bets lose if the come out roll is 2, 3, or 12.

Don’t bets lose if the come out roll is 7 or 11, and win if the come out roll is 2 or 3. They tie if the come out roll is 12.

If a player is joining a game and wanting to play craps without being the shooter they must check to see if the dealer’s ‘On’ button is on any of the point numbers. If the point number is off the table it signifies that the table is in the Come Out round. However should the dealer’s button be on a point number then the table is in the Point round. In the point round casinos allow a Pass Line bet to be placed. All single or multi roll ‘Proposition bets’ may be placed in either of the two rounds.

Between dice rolls there is a point for the dealers to provide payouts as well as collect the losing bets, after this point players can place new bets. The stickman oversees the action at the table and chooses when to give the shooter the dice, after which no more betting is permitted.

Betting

The following are the various bets you are able to make at craps:

Pass Line Bet – Players win if the first roll is a natural (7, 11) they lose if it is craps (2, 3, 12). Should a point be rolled (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) it is repeated before a 7 is thrown in order to win. If 7 is rolled before the point you lose.

The central bet in craps is the Pass Line Bet; this is a bet for the shooter to win their point number. A Pass Line Bet is won instantly if the Come Out roll is a 7 or 11. If the Come Out roll is 2, 3 or 12, the bet is lost (also known as ‘crapping out’).

Should the roll be any other value, it creates a Point; should that point be rolled again before a seven, the bet is won. With a point founded, if a seven is rolled before the point is re-rolled, the bet loses (‘seven out’). A Pass Line bet pays even money.

Odds on Pass Line Bet – After a point has been rolled players are able to make this extra bet by taking odds. There are numerous payouts for each point:

–       A point of 4 or 10 will pay you 2:1

–       5 or 9 pays 3:2

–       6 or 8 pays 6:5

Players win if the point is rolled again prior to a 7 being rolled.

Come Bet – This bet has the same rules as the Pass Line Bet. The difference involves the fact that players are only permitted to make this bet after the point on the pass line has been decided. On a Come Out roll the Come Bet is positioned on the pass line as they are a duplicate bet. Once players have placed their bets the first dice roll will assign the come point. Players win if it is a natural (7, 11) and lose if it is craps (2, 3, 12). All other rolls win if the come point is repeated before a 7 is rolled. If a 7 is rolled first players lose the bet.

A Come Bet takes place in two rounds and is comparable to a Pass Line Bet. The primary difference is that a player who is making a Come Bet will bet on the initial point number that ‘comes’ from the shooter’s next roll, irrespective of the table’s round.

If a 7 or 11 is bowled on the first round, it wins. If a 2, 3 or 12 is bowled, it loses. However should the roll be a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 then the Come Bet will be repositioned by the base dealer onto a Box signifying the number which the shooter threw. This number then becomes the Come Bet point and the player is permitted to add odds to the bet. The dealer will then put the odds on top of the Come Bet, but slightly off centre in order to distinguish between the initial bet and the odds. The second round wins should the shooter roll the Come Bet prior to rolling a seven. Should a seven come first the bet loses.

Odds on Come Bet – Just the same as the Odds on Pass Line Bet but you take odds on the Come Bet not the Pass Line Bet.

Don’t Pass Line Bet – This bet is essentially a reversed Pass Line bet. If the first roll of a dice is a natural (7, 11) players lose but if it is a 2 or a 3 players win. A dice roll of 12 indicates the player has a tie or push with the casino.

Should the roll be a point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) a 7 must be rolled before that point is rerolled in order to make the player a winner. Should the point be rolled again prior to a 7 the player loses.

Don’t Come Bet – This is essentially a reversed Come Bet. Once the come point has been decided players win if it is a 2 or 3 and lose for 7 or 11. 12 is a tie and all other dice rolls allow players to win, should a 7 appear before them on the following throws.

Place Bets – This bet works only after the point has been decided. Players can bet on a dice roll of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. Players win if the number they placed a bet on is rolled prior to a 7. Otherwise players lose their bet. The Place Bets payouts vary depending on the number you bet on:

–       4 or 10 will pay 9:5

–       5 or 9 will pay 7:5

–       6 or 8 will pay 7:6

Players are permitted to cancel this bet anytime they wish to.

Field Bets – These bets are for one dice roll. Should a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 be rolled, the player wins. A 5, 6, 7 and 8 results in a loss. Field Bets have a number of different payouts:

–       A 2 will pay 2:1

–       A 12 will pay 3:1

–       Other winning dice rolls will pay 1:1

Big Six, Big Eight Bets – These bets can be placed any roll of the dice. These bets provide players with a win if a 6 or 8 comes out prior to a 7. Big Six and Big Eight are even bets and are paid at 1:1.

Proposition Bets – These bets can be placed at any time and, excluding the hardways, they are all one roll bets:

• Any Craps: Players win if a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled. The payout is 8:1
• Any Seven: Players win if a 7 is rolled. The payout is 5:1
• Eleven: Players wins if a 11 is rolled. The payout is 16:1
• Ace Duece: Players win if a 3 is rolled. The payout is  16:1
• Aces or Boxcars: Players win if a 2 or 12 is thrown. The payout is 30:1
• Horn Bet: This bet acts as a bet on 2, 3, 11 and 12 all at once. Players wins if one of these numbers is rolled. The payout is established according to the number rolled. The other three bets are lost.
• Hardways: A bet on a hardway number wins if it’s rolled hard (sum of pairs: 1-1, 3-3, 4-4…) before it’s rolled easy and a 7 is thrown.

House advantage
2 – 17%

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Each game starts with the Croupier spinning the wheel in one direction. The ball is placed in the wheel and spun in the opposite direction. Shortly after the spin begins, the Croupier will call out “No More Bets”. After which Players cannot make any further Bets until the next round begins.

When the ball comes to rest in a number on the wheel, bets corresponding to that number are paid off. Payouts vary depending on what type of Bet you are making. Inside Bets are those made directly on numbers or groups.

They include:

–          Single Number Bets; placed directly inside a numbered spot.  Winning Bets pay 35 to 1.

–          Two Number Bets; placed on the line between two adjacent numbers.  Winning Bets pay 17 to 1.

–          Three Number Bets; placed on the leftmost side of a row of 3 numbers.  Winning Bets pay 11 to 1.

–          Four Number Bets; placed on the intersection between four numbers on the table. Winning Bets pay 8 to 1.

–          Six Number Bets; a bet on two rows of three numbers on the table layout  Winning Bets pay 5 to 1.

Outside Bets are those made on the spots outside the main number grid.

They include:

–          Dozens Bets; placed on numbers 1 through 12, 13 through 24, or 25 through 36.  Winning Bets pay 2 to 1.

–          Odd or Even bets; placed on the winning number being even or odd.  Zero and double-zero do not count. Winning Bets pay even money.

–          Red or Black bets; placed that the winning number will be red or black. Winning Bets pay even money.

–          Column Bets cover an entire column of 12 numbers, top to bottom. Winning Bets pay 2 to 1.

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