When it comes to placing wagers on sporting events, many bettors will often refer to the number 7 as a sign of good luck. This number represents the ‘fatal cross’ in the game of baccarat, and it is frequently seen on T-shirts, mugs, and hats that commemorate this famous card game.
But what does this ‘fatal cross’ actually mean in terms of successful betting? Let’s take a closer look.
The Crosses On 7
Baccarat is a relatively simple game to learn, and it is usually played using a deck of regular playing cards. The deck consists of fifty-two cards, with forty-two cards used for games and ten cards used for the ‘vieux caractère’ or ‘old card’. The goal of the game is to bet on whether the dealer or player will win when the final hand is settled.
There are four potential outcomes of every hand of baccarat, and these outcomes are determined by a series of cross patterns formed by the combinations of numbers, suits, and colors that make up the hands. The hands are settled according to the following ranking:
- Royal Flush – This is the highest-ranking hand and it ensures that the player wins. It is referred to as such because it is made up of all the cards in the same suit (in this case, diamonds) with the highest ranking value card at the top. This type of hand represents the ideal wager for players aiming to win big.
- Pair – A Pair is any two cards of the same rank. When paired cards are dealt simultaneously, the hand is automatically called a Pair and it ranks below a Royal Flush. As the name suggests, a Pair will never win, but it does ensure that the player will not lose.
- Three of a Kind – This is perhaps the most common type of hand and it ensures that the player wins. Three of a Kinds are made up of three identical cards of the same rank. When Three of a Kinds are formed, the hand is automatically called a Three of a Kind and it also ensures the player will not lose.
- Straight – A Straight is any set of six consecutive cards of the same rank. When a Straight is formed, the hand is automatically called a Straight and it also ensures the player will not lose.
There are six possible hands that can be formed with only seven cards. However, there are only five hands that can be formed with eight cards. And there are only four hands that can be formed with nine cards.
The Crosses On 9
While baccarat is a simple game to learn, it packs a bigger strategic punch when played with a deck of cards containing a joker. The extra card acts as a wildcard that can pop up in any position in the deck, and it is frequently used in blackjack (or twenty-one) to create ‘joker’s wild’. When a joker is used in the deck, the values of the cards are flipped so that they work in favor of the dealer – with the exception of jokers, which work in favor of the player.
After a fixed point is established, the dealer will deal two cards to each player, and these cards are then placed face down on the table, effectively hiding their values. After this round of betting, the dealer turns over one of the face down cards, revealing its value to the players. Once all of the face down cards have been turned over, the dealer will then lay down two more cards, effectively establishing a new fixed point. This process continues until either the player runs out of cards or the dealer succeeds in getting at least three rounds of bets placed before showing any cards.
What Does 7 Fold Mean In Betting?
When referring to sports betting and the ‘fatal cross’, many bettors will often say that seven represents good luck because that is the total amount of cards that must be turned over in order to reveal a winning hand. While this might be true, it is important to keep in mind that the amount of cards needed to be turned over is completely random, and it can vary from one to seven, or any other amount between 6 and 12.
On average, in a given month, there are roughly forty occurrences of three or more consecutive card turns in baccarat. This equates to approximately 2.5% of the time that betting occurs in baccarat, with players turning over an average of 7.83 cards on every hand. As a percentage of the total amount of wagers placed during that same month, 7.83% is a very high rate. It means that for every $100 wagered, the player would win $7.83. This would make it the second-highest paying game next to blackjack (21) among all casino games in terms of percentage return to player (ERP) – with the exception of slots, which payout less as a percentage of wagers).
So while 7 may be used as a sign of good luck when playing baccarat with cards containing a joker or when referring to the game in general, it also means the player is getting exceptionally good odds of winning.