Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games in the world, and despite its long and complex history, it’s actually relatively simple to play. The goal of the game is to bet on which hand you think will win, either the player hand or the banker hand. Two cards are dealt to each hand, and if the value of the total is eight or nine (called a “natural”), that hand wins. Otherwise, the winning hand is determined by adding up the values of the individual cards and dropping the tens digit.

There are several versions of baccarat, and the rules of each can vary slightly. The main game consists of seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer area, though some variations may have fewer or more seats. Regardless of the number of players, there are only two hands dealt in the game: the player hand and the banker hand. The player’s and banker’s bets are placed against each other, and the objective is to place a bet on the hand that you think will get closer to nine than the opposing hand.

The dealer will then follow a set of rules depending on the player and banker hands’ initial totals. In some cases, the player or banker will draw a third card, but only when their total is less than 6 or 7. In other cases, they will stand pat. If a player’s or banker’s total is 9, they won’t draw any more cards and the round ends.

In addition to the bets on the player and banker hands, a number of other bets are available, including the Super Six Bet and Pair Bet. The Super Six Bet pays out 12x the bet amount if the Banker hand has a total of 6. In the Pair Bet, players can wager on whether the Player or Banker hand will have a pair of matching cards. The payout for a winning Pair Bet is 11x the bet amount.

While you can play baccarat online at top-rated casinos, the most immersive and engaging way to enjoy this game is at a live dealer casino. These casinos offer a real dealer and stream the game from professional studios in HD. The best live dealer baccarat casinos have multiple HD cameras, fast-paced gameplay and high-quality audio.

Unlike the standard table game, baccarat’s rules do not require you to touch the cards. In fact, you can even place bets with a mobile device while you are at home. To start the game, simply deposit funds into your player account and select a chip size from a range of different options. Then, you can bet on the Player, Banker or tie, and predict which hand will get closest to 9. Typically, the banker’s hand has better odds than the player’s, but a 5% commission is charged on all winning bets on the Banker’s hand. This is why it is generally recommended to bet on the banker side if you want to maximize your winnings.