Baccarat has earned a reputation for sophistication and luxury. In fact, it’s a game that often gets linked to the high roller crowd, but you can bet for as little as $20-$25 and still enjoy the game in all its elegance.

Whether you’re a high-roller or a casual player, it’s important to understand the rules and odds before you play. You’ll want to know how much the Banker hand or the Player hand will win before the cards are dealt and, ideally, you’ll be able to make an informed decision before making your wagers.

In baccarat, you place a bet on either the Banker or the Player’s hand that will have the total closest to 9. Two cards are dealt to each hand; their values are added together and the hand that has a value closer to 9 wins. The game can be played with a standard set of decks of cards, or you can opt to use a special variation called Mini-baccarat that uses only six decks.

The game originated in Europe but spread to Asia, and it’s currently the world’s biggest card game. Casinos in Macau, for instance, generate more than 80% of their revenue from baccarat, and its popularity has spread to the United States. But it’s not just the glitz and glamour that have made this game so popular; it’s also because of the simplicity of gameplay.

Unlike blackjack, where the house edge is a matter of simple math, the house edge in baccarat is only around 0.05% in an eight-deck shoe. Players can lower this edge even further by employing a strategy that’s similar to card counting.

Baccarat is a simple game to learn, and it’s one of the most accessible table games in casinos. A single bet, Player versus Banker, is basically a coin toss (and one with a very low house edge), and the rounds are finished in seconds. In addition, commission-free baccarat has simplified the game and opened it to mass audiences.

At G2E 2019, AGS showcased a new version of its Bonus Spin Xtreme progressive, which can link all table games in a casino for a single jackpot. It’s a groundbreaking technology that could change the way casinos handle progressive jackpots.

But can this latest iteration of a beloved casino game survive? We asked Bill Zender, the former Nevada Gaming Control agent who literally wrote the book on managing casino games. A 40-year veteran, Zender says he’s seen baccarat evolve and expand. He tells Passport that baccarat’s rise has been driven by Asian high rollers who have adopted it as their casino game of choice. This is because it’s a perfect fit for their cultural preferences, but also because of the game’s relative ease and fast pace.