While baccarat has always had its place within the gaming world, this is by no means the most popular game in the vast majority of casinos. But in Macau, it’s a totally different story since visitors flock to the baccarat tables – bringing numerous rituals and superstitions along with them. Seeing as how the Macau baccarat scene is much more lively and energetic than in other places around the world, let’s take an in-depth look at how baccarat is done here. The first thing that will jump out at many people who visit Macau casinos is just how much floor space baccarat games take up. In most casinos, you can expect to see around 70% of the casino floor dedicated to baccarat tables. And this decision is definitely paying off since statistics show that 90% of all gaming revenue in Macau is coming through baccarat.
Because of the fact that Macau has been a boomtown in the casino world over the past few years, don’t expect baccarat’s popularity to fade in this gambling capitol any time soon.Of course, the love of James Bond movies doesn’t quite explain the entire Macau baccarat phenomenon, which makes it worth diving into more specific answers. And one of them is the fact that baccarat is essentially a group game, where several players are betting and cheering for the same outcome. This in turn gives baccarat the ‘everyone against the casino’ factor as long as most players bet the same way. Another aspect that draws betters to this game is that baccarat strategy is very easy to learn, and the house edge is quite low when compared to other casino games. Basically, all you need to do is bet on the banker hand to win every time, which lowers the house edge to 1.06%. If you’re feeling riskier, you can always wager on the player hand to win, which also offers a pretty low house edge at 1.24%. One more reason worth mentioning in regards to why baccarat is bigger in Macau than other parts of the world is that it doesn’t carry the stereotype as a game for the elite. The same can’t be said in many Western casinos where, until recently, baccarat was primarily reserved for the wealthiest and most noteworthy casino gamers. But in Macau, it’s widely viewed as a game that the mass public can enjoy.
As we discussed before, baccarat already has a fairly low house edge. However, some Macau players hope to give themselves an edge over the casino through various superstitions and rituals. A common way of bringing luck your way in Macau baccarat is by squeezing the cards tightly between your fingers. Players like to slowly peek at their cards as well in hopes that this will always bring the number(s) they’re looking for. While peeking at their cards, some players even go as far as to crease them, which make the cards unusable for the next round. Interestingly enough, Macau casinos don’t seem to mind this practice as long as players are having a good time and betting money.
Another superstition that’s often seen with Macau baccarat players involves blowing on the cards. The idea here is that you’re essentially blowing away the bad numbers that could cause you to lose. Players sometimes couple this ritual with turning their cards horizontal before viewing them. This superstition and others only add to the excitement and mystique behind baccarat in Macau, which grows more and more with each passing day.
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