Many American casino patrons are somewhat confused about the top casino game in the globe. Although baccarat has roots in the gambling salons of Italy and France, it has become increasingly popular in casinos over the past thirty years, especially in Asia but also more and more in the United States, where casino owners and players are both flocked.

How popular is baccarat globally? Since displacing Las Vegas in 2006, Macau's casinos have generated more revenue than any other city in the world. More than 88 percent of the $33.2 billion earned by Macau's 40 casinos last year came from baccarat. The game also contributes significantly to the earnings of Singaporean casinos, and even on the Las Vegas Strip, where many guests aren't even familiar with the game's rules, it makes up 18% of all casino winnings. Slot machines are the only game that generates greater revenue for Strip casinos, and there are many more of them in Las Vegas than there are baccarat tables.

The definitive text on controlling casino games was written by Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control Agent, casino dealer, executive, and current consultant. Over the course of his 40+ year career, he has watched baccarat significantly expand.

"Before the inflow of Asian players, we really had to dress it up to get people interested in the game," he explains. "Therefore, there were the large double tables, tuxedo-clad merchants, and lovely women mingling. It had a James Bond vibe.

According to Zender, Asian high rollers have nearly always made Singapore online casino baccarat their game of choice during the past 20 years since it is well suited to their cultural preferences.

He explains, "The cards are jumbled and placed into the dealing shoe. "There is no hitting or standing for the player; everything is done in accordance with established guidelines. They consequently think that their luck transfers into the shoe. This has major significance. When a dealer made a mistake, we used to burn [discard] the card, but the Asian players would leave the table since they believed it to have damaged their luck. So we began dealing a dummy hand in its place while preserving the card.