Baccarat is a card game that has long been associated with high rollers. It is played with large amounts of cash and in a special alcove, often roped off from the rest of the casino action. High-limit players can bet as much as $100,000 per hand and the game has the reputation of being glamorous. The reality is, however, that it is a simple game of chance with few nuances and no real strategy involved.

Players place their bets on Player, Banker, or Tie before the cards are dealt. Depending on the establishment and platform, there are also a number of side bets that can be placed. These wagers pay out varying odds depending on the outcome of the round.

The game is played with six, seven, or eight standard decks of 52 cards. Two hands are dealt, one to the Player and the other to the Banker. The goal is to get a total closer to nine than the other hand. The value of a hand is calculated by adding the values of the two cards dealt. For example, a 7 and an 8 equals 15 points. Adding the value of the ace to this number gives you the overall score of the hand.

A winning hand is determined by whichever hand has the closest value to 9. The winning bet pays out according to which hand won, with a win on the banker giving you 9:1 odds. There is also a third bet called a tie, which pays off eight to one but has a higher house edge than both the Player and Banker bets. Most serious players stick to Player or Banker bets.

There is a lot of discussion about baccarat strategies and the best way to play the game, but in reality, there isn’t a whole lot that can be done to influence the outcome of a hand. The only thing a player can do to affect the outcome of a hand is to make a bet, which should always be done with as much money as a player can afford to lose.

As with all casino games, there is a certain amount of luck involved in baccarat, but the game also has some rules that need to be followed. For instance, if the player or banker asks for a third card, the dealer must follow certain rules. If the banker’s total is 7 and the player’s total is 5 or less, the banker must draw another card. The rules are outlined on the table, so be sure to know them before you begin playing.

Despite the mystique surrounding the game of Baccarat, it is actually quite easy to learn. Unlike craps, which requires a great deal of knowledge to master, Baccarat is a simple game of chance with a set of rules that can be memorized and used to make bets. It is not uncommon to find a first-time player walking into a casino and betting the maximum amount allowed, but it’s also not unheard of for a seasoned gambler to place bets of $100,000 or more on a single hand.