Baccarat (pronounced bah-ka-rah) is one of the world’s most popular casino games. It’s also one of the simplest to play, despite its exotic appearance. Players bet on either the player’s hand winning, the banker’s hand winning, or a tie. The value of a hand is determined by the sum of its cards, with nine being the highest. Picture or face cards are worth zero points, numbered cards count as their face value, and aces count as one point. When the total reaches a double digit, the second digit becomes its value.

Baccarat is played on a table with seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer’s area. After all bets have been placed, the dealer deals two cards to each hand of the player and the banker. The first player’s hand that is closest to nine wins the round. If the player’s hand is equal to nine, no further cards are drawn. If the banker’s hand is closer to nine, the player receives a payout of 1:1. If the banker’s hand is a tie, the player must pay the house a 5% commission on the Banker’s winning bet.

Before betting, the player should check the game rules to ensure that he is using the best strategy. The game of baccarat varies from place to place, and the number of decks used can change the odds of winning and losing. Generally, the more decks used, the lower the payout is. This is why it is important to find a reputable online gambling website that offers baccarat with fewer decks.

Once a player has decided how much to wager, he must then select the Player, Banker, or Tie box to place his bets. In a live version of the game, the dealer will deal the cards after all bets have been placed. Then the game is over when one hand has won, no more cards are drawn, or a tie is formed. The dealer then pays the winnings to the players and collects the losing bets.

Most players prefer to focus on the Banker and Player bets, as they offer the most reliable payouts. A player should also avoid the Tie bet, as it is not very profitable and only covers 40% of the game’s overall house edge. In addition, the game’s rules allow the Banker hand to win more often than the Player’s hand.

A good baccarat strategy requires discipline and budget management. This is especially true when playing online, where the game can be a bit more difficult to control. To maximize your chances of winning, it is important to create a spreadsheet with a formula for tracking cards. This will help you recognize patterns in the game and change your wagering patterns based on past outcomes. You can also use a baccarat scoresheet, which is available at most online casinos.

Another way to improve your chances of winning is by using a pair bet, which pays out 11x the player’s bet amount. However, this bet is only offered when the Banker and Player hands both have a pair of matching cards.