Baccarat is a game that draws in a huge number of players to casino tables. It is one of the easiest games to play, and it maintains a low house edge. In the game, players bet on which hand will win—a player’s hand, a banker’s hand, or a tie. Baccarat is popular at casinos and online and features in many James Bond films.

The game is played with six or eight standard decks of 52 cards, and the goal is to correctly predict the outcome of a round. A hand’s value is determined by the total of its cards, but only the rightmost digit is taken into account. For example, a 10 and a 6 are worth 15 points, but a 7 and a 3 only have nine points combined.

Once all bets have been placed, the dealer deals the cards according to fixed rules. Each hand is dealt two cards, and a third card may be drawn depending on the initial total. The hand closest to 9 wins, and ties are paid 8 to 1. If both the Banker’s and Player’s hands result in identical totals, the Tie bet wins 9 to 1.

Baccarat is an exciting game that can be very lucrative, but it’s important to know your limits and gamble responsibly. Always set a bankroll and spend only the money that you can afford to lose. It’s also a good idea to choose a betting system, such as Martingale, that works well for roulette and other games with even bets.