Baccarat is a popular casino game where players bet on either the Player or Banker hand and aim for a total value closest to nine. Players can also bet on a Tie, but this bet has the highest house edge of all the bets available.

In a typical baccarat game, eight cards are dealt from a dealing shoe to the Player and Banker hands. Each card has a numerical value that is determined by its rank, with tens and picture cards having their face values and aces counting as one. A total that goes above 9 is adjusted by dropping the first digit (a seven and a six would be 14; it becomes four). A ten in a hand will automatically win, while a hand with an eight or more will lose.

The game is played on a large table that can seat up to 14 players. The table is covered with green felt with numbered areas where players place their Player and Banker bets. The dealer, known as the croupier, will use a palette at larger tables to deal the cards easily and quickly.

Once all players have placed their bets, the croupier will deal two cards to each of the Player and Banker hands. A third card may be drawn on both hands, but only if the first two cards produce a “natural” with a score of 8 or 9. If the first two cards are equal in value, the game is a tie and no further cards will be dealt.

Baccarat has long been a favorite in high-stakes gambling salons in Europe, and it’s become increasingly popular in the United States. Its James Bond pageantry — big money dealers, double tables, and high minimums — is still in evidence at some casinos, but the game has largely moved out of the high-limit gaming area and is now more commonly found on the regular casino floor with lower minimums.

Although baccarat has a reputation for being complicated and intimidating, it’s actually very easy to learn. The key is to decide how much you want to spend and stick to it. You don’t want to get carried away at a table where the stakes are high and you’re playing with real cash – $100 bills, for example. The best way to do this is to use cash and not chips to make it harder to get carried away. Baccarat is an exciting game, but it’s a mistake to play it with money that you can’t afford to lose. That’s why it’s important to know the rules of the game and how to place your bets before you ever walk up to a baccarat table. Then you can be sure to enjoy the game for what it is: a fun, fast-paced, and simple casino game. Using these six tips will help you develop a winning strategy and get the most out of your baccarat experience.