Baccarat is a game played with a standard deck of 52 cards. It is one of the easiest casino table games to play, but it does have some strategy involved. The object of the game is to correctly predict which hand (Player’s, Banker’s or Tie) will come closest to nine without going over, and to place your bet accordingly. The dealer tally up each of the hands and pays out the wagers accordingly. If you bet on Player’s or Banker’s and win, your stake will be returned to you, while a winning Tie bet will be paid out at odds of 8:1 or more, depending on the variant of Baccarat being played.

The Player’s and Banker’s bets are the two standard wagering options in baccarat. There is also a Tie bet, but the house edge on this is much higher at 9.6%. It is best to avoid the tie bet if possible.

In a baccarat game, you place your bet and sit back while the dealer deals out the cards. The game is a simple game of chance and there are no complicated rules to follow. In fact, most players simply watch the game and let the dealer do the work. A score sheet is usually available on the table to help keep track of your bets and scores.

After the deal, each side can make another bet on either a Player’s or Banker’s hand. There are different payouts on each, and if you bet on the banker hand, you can expect to receive 95% of your stake back.

If you bet on the Player’s hand, the goal is to get as close to nine as possible, but it’s important to remember that the digit count is only taken into account after the first digit, which means that a 7 and 6 total would actually be worth five points. Face cards and 10-count cards (tens, jacks, queens and kings) are worth 0 points, while aces count as one point.

The game is played on a round or oval-shaped table with up to nine players. The banker sets the initial betting amount, and players go in counterclockwise order to announce if they want to play “bank,” which involves placing a bet against the banker’s number, or if they wish to play against other players.

The banker hand wins more often than the player’s, and a tie occurs in only 9.6% of rounds. This is why it is best to stick with the banker bet. However, as in any casino game, it is important to practice good money management and never bet more than you can afford to lose. This will allow you to enjoy the game for longer, while keeping your bankroll in check. A staking system such as the Paroli System can be helpful. This strategy is based on positive progression and differs from the Martingale method in that you double your bet size after each win, but return to your original bet amount after a loss.