Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games. It has a lot of trappings, and it’s often portrayed as glamorous in movies (James Bond loves it!) but is actually a simple game that’s easy to learn. It also has a low house edge, making it a good choice for high rollers.

How to Play It

Before you start playing baccarat, it’s important to understand the rules of the game. There are two main types of bets, Player hand and Banker hand, and a third bet called tie. Both of these bets have a house edge, but the banker and player bets have much lower ones than the tie bet.

The Dealers

There are three dealers at a baccarat table, positioned at the edges of the table. One is a Caller who calls the winning hand, and the other two are dealers who collect bets, pay out winnings, and keep track of commissions for the Bank Hand bets.

The Cards

Two cards are dealt to the Bank and Player hands, and sometimes a third card is drawn. The winning hand is the one closest to nine, or the one with the highest score. This is determined by the house rules of each venue. In addition, the first digit of each total is dropped when it exceeds nine. This allows for more accurate results than if the count was rounded down to a number.

If you’re new to baccarat, you can start by betting on your hand or on the banker hand. This is a great way to get familiar with the rules and how to bet.

Choosing the Right Bet

If your goal is to win big, you’ll want to bet on the Banker hand. This is because the house edge on this bet is 1.24%, and you can win up to 95% of your wager. The best thing about this bet is that you can use the same strategy as you would a coin flip, and there are score sheets at live baccarat tables to help you stay on top of your score.

The Cards

The cards in baccarat are dealt from a six- or eight-deck shoe. The 10s and Jacks count as zero, the Ace counts one, and the picture cards count as face value. A two is worth two, a five is worth three, and a six is worth four.

Baccarat Payouts

The payouts in baccarat are double or even for a winning player hand bet and 8 to 1 on a banker bet. There’s a house edge on both of these bets, and so it’s a good idea to bet as small as possible to avoid losing too much money.

In addition to the two main bets, there is also a third bet called the tie, which pays eight to one if both the Banker and Player hands are the same. This is a good bet for high rollers, and the odds are good.

In addition to being a popular game of chance, baccarat has a rich cultural history. It was invented by an Italian in the 1400s, and it spread across Europe over time. It is now a popular casino game in France, and it is played with real cash.