Baccarat is easily one of the most famous card games that are played in casinos across the world. Its name itself is synonymous with “suave” or “sophistication.” It has millions of fans who enjoy playing it on land or online casinos.Blog

Baccarat has a rich history as it is played in different parts of the world and as a result, the game has multiple variations that you can enjoy today.

In this article, we will look at some of the historical Baccarat facts that you may not have known.

It pronounced “Ba-Car-aa”

Many online Baccarat players who are just beginning to play often mistake how this is pronounced. There isn’t any shame to it though. Everyone has to learn somewhere.

It’s mainly because online players seldom hear somebody say that word, and they end up pronouncing the ‘t’ at the last. “Baa-Ca-Rat.”

Since it’s French, we do not pronounce the letter ‘t’ at the last. Just like how the French people pronounce ‘cest’ as ‘say.’

The Beginning

As far as the beginning of Baccarat is concerned, there is some doubt. You expect some doubt around the origin of the game that is being played for at least 300 years.

Multiple sources themselves contradict each other when it comes to explaining the origin of Baccarat. One source thinks it started in 19th century France, whereas other think soldiers returning from war in Italy in the 15th century brought it to the French shores.

Looking at things objectively, the second explanation seems more plausible. Italy has a similar game called Macao which is often referred to as Italian Baccarat which has a history in Italy of at least 400 years.

Therefore, it makes sense that the soldiers picked it up and brought the game back home to France.

Dwindling Following to James Bond

Baccarat was the go-to game for most people in the 1800s France and the US in the early 1900s. However, with the rise in popularity of the games like Texas Holdem and Blackjack, Baccarat took a back seat.

When James Bond was introduced to the world in Casino Royale, things started looking up for Baccarat. Ian Fleming wrote 007 to be a big fan of Baccarat. After the commercial success of James Bond, Baccarat too rode on that wave and made a decent comeback.

After the 007 effects dwindled, Baccarat’s popularity dwindled with it.

Rise with Online Casinos

Baccarat wasn’t in the mainstream that much from the 90s to 2010. Again, Blackjack and Poker were the “star” games at the casinos.

However, with the rise in online casinos around the 2010s, they started to become a regular feature.

Maybe it was because the Baccarat rules were very easy and there weren’t a lot of strategies involved or maybe online casinos wanted to have an edge over their competitors, Baccarat got major promotions on these platforms.

Furthermore, people wanted a breath of fresh air and try some games other than Poker and Blackjack.

New online casino players were adding in day by day with a range of tastes and some favored Baccarat over others.

This way, Baccarat gained a new fan base and a new trend started to grow. Since people spent a considerable amount of time in online casinos playing Baccarat, they wanted to have that experience at land-based casinos too.

As a result, Baccarat tables were again brought back by the major casinos in Vegas and Atlantic City.

You can play Baccarat today at many online casinos.