Baccarat’s Popularity: Three Reasons for the Game’s Success

Baccarat is one of the more popular card games in the world. In many ways, it is similar to blackjack. It is a ‘banking’ card game, that requires players to draw or be deal cards, without exceeding the total sum of nine. Many people have put forth good arguments about the game’s success today. In this article, we would like to talk about why baccarat is such a success.

Digital Gambling

Many attribute baccarat’s popularity to its historicity. However, why is the game such a major success today? Perhaps that has something to do with the online casinos, that have won over the hearts of many gamblers in the 21st century.

The 21st century is often called the digital age, and online casinos are the way that the gambling industry has adapted to this new era. Within the confines of online casinos is the live gambling subcategory. It is precisely because of live casinos that baccarat is such a major success.

For the unfamiliar, live casinos are a way to enjoy your favorite casino games from home, in real time. If we take live baccarat online as an example, fans can enjoy the game by joining an online casino website, selecting the live option, and playing with a living dealer, face-to-face.

Baccarat is a staple of live casinos. In fact, it is among the top three most popular games, along with blackjack and roulette. Anyone who appreciates the interaction and dynamics with the dealer should check out live baccarat.

Familiarity and Popularity

We said before that many attribute the popularity of the game to its historical significance. It is absolutely true that baccarat is a hugely influential game in gambling’s history. However, it is also true that the game’s history is quite murky.

According to some sources, baccarat is relatively young, having been created in the 19th century. On the other hand, many have argued that evidence of baccarat’s existence in France and Italy dates back to the 15th century. Supposedly, the game was brought to France by soldiers who had fought in the Italian Wars during the reign of French king, Charles VIII.

In either case, the game’s success is certainly tied to its long-standing in the gambling world. Gamblers are familiar with baccarat, which is why they continue to play it, in turn making it more popular, and therefore more familiar.

Pop Culture

Lastly, pop culture also plays a significant role in the popularization of the game. For example, to many, the first introduction to baccarat was James Bond, the most famous movie spy, and one of the most popular film characters of all time. Most Bond fans know baccarat is the spy’s favorite game, and he even has his own betting strategy, which many have attempted to incorporate in real life.

Baccarat is also a major plot point in the film Rush Hour 3. After being apart for a couple of years, the main characters in the film meet up in a Parisian casino, playing baccarat. The film even makes a joke about baccarat’s similarity to blackjack, as one of the characters is confused as to the rules of the game, and believes he is, indeed, playing blackjack.

Also published on Medium.