Baccarat is a popular casino card game, and there are several variants of the game. Some are more complicated than others, but all can be a lot of fun to play. The rules of Baccarat are easy to learn and follow, making it a suitable choice for the new player in the casino.

The goal of the game is to predict which hand, either Player or Banker, will come closest to a total of nine. The winning hand is the one with a final digit that is closest to 9. Picture cards and Tens count as zero points. Cards numbered from 2 to 9 count at their face value, and the ace counts as one point. When the sum of the cards is added, if it crosses nine or enters a double digit, the second digit becomes the total point value of the hand.

Players place their chips on the Player or Banker bet boxes and wait for the next two cards to be dealt. Unlike blackjack, players do not have a choice to take another card or make any other betting decisions during the deal. The only exception to this rule is the tie bet, which is a wager that the Banker and Player hands will have the same total. This bet pays 8:1, but it also has a higher house edge than the other bets.

Whether you are playing Baccarat in a physical casino or online, the best way to win is to set a specific amount of money to spend and stick to it. It is possible to lose a lot of money playing Baccarat, so it is important to understand your limits and stay within them. Keeping track of your wins and losses can help you decide when to walk away from the table.

When the Player or Banker Hand totals eight or nine on their first two cards, it is a natural and no further cards are drawn. The bets placed on the Player or Banker are paid out. If the first two cards do not total 8 or 9, a third card will be drawn on one of the hands.

After the third card is drawn, the winner is determined. If the Player or Banker Hand has a total of 9 and no additional cards are drawn, it is a winner. If the Player or Banker Hand has 7 and no additional cards are drawn, it is also a winner.

Other bets that can be made on the baccarat table include the Super Six Bet and Pair Bet. These bets are optional and pay out based on the number of points that the first two hands have in common. The Super Six Bet pays out 12x the bet amount and the Pair Bet pays out 11x the bet amount. These bets are not available at all casinos and can vary in minimum bet size. The house edge on these bets varies from game to game, but they are an excellent way to increase your winnings.