Baccarat is a game of chance that may seem daunting for the uninitiated, but in reality, it’s one of the easiest games to play on the casino floor. It has a low house edge and features in several James Bond movies, so it’s no surprise that it is still popular among high rollers today.

The game of baccarat is played with eight decks of cards, and the dealer (known as the croupier) deals the cards from a box known as a shoe. A single card is released at a time, and each player sits in a numbered area on the table, where they place their bets. Depending on the game, players can bet on the Banker, the Player, or both hands.

Before the dealer begins dealing, a player will announce that they want to “go bank” and set the initial banker bet amount. Then, the other players will place their Player and Banker bets in counterclockwise order. Once everyone has placed their bets, the dealer will begin dealing cards to each player and banker hand.

Once the cards have been dealt, the winning side is determined by whoever has the highest value hand. The value of a hand is determined by adding up the sum of all the cards in the hand, with nine being the highest number. Picture cards and tens are worth zero points, while numbers from two to nine are worth their face value, and the ace is worth one point. Once the hand’s total crosses nine or enters a double digit, it must drop the first digit, for example, 9 + 6 = 15, so that the second digit becomes the value of the hand.

After the hand is compared, the player and banker reveal their cards to determine who won the round. The winner of the hand is determined by which hand has a higher value, and ties are rare. Once the hand is decided, the bettors can choose to accept or decline a third card for either the Player or Banker.

Besides the basic bets, baccarat offers a variety of other side bets, which can vary from game to game. Some common bets include the Super Six Bet, the Pair Bet, and the Tie Bet. While these bets aren’t as important as the Player or Banker Bet, they can add a fun element to the game.