Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It is played from a fixed table and can be enjoyed in many different environments, from sticky floor California card rooms to the tuxedo-laden casinos of Monaco. It is also a common game at high-end casinos and was even featured in a number of James Bond films, including Dr. No and the two films that followed it, Thunderball and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

While the rules of baccarat can differ slightly between casinos and even between online versions, there are certain basic similarities. The main goal is to bet on which hand will have the highest total after both players and the banker are dealt cards. The hand that gets the closest to nine wins. The player and banker hands are dealt from a six- or eight-deck shoe, and the game is usually played with a professional dealer.

The cards are ranked according to their value. All 10s, jacks and queens are worth zero points, while the ace equals one point and the rest of the cards have their face values. The maximum value of a baccarat hand is nine. If a total goes over nine, players must subtract the first numeral or drop the first digit to get their new total. This is done to avoid the dreaded “edge sorting” issue that has ruined the reputation of other casino games in the past.

When it comes to wagering, players may place a bet on either the Banker’s hand, the Player’s hand or a tie. A win on a Player’s bet pays out at 1:1, while winning bets on the Banker’s and Tie hands pay out with a commission of 5%.

Once all bets are placed, the dealer deals two cards to the Banker’s hand and to the Player’s hand. A third card may be dealt to either or both hands depending on the outcome of the previous round. The best hand is the one that is closer to nine. The game’s name is derived from the French term for “banker’s table.”

While baccarat is not the most exciting game in the casino, it is definitely one of the safest. As a result, it is often chosen by players who want to play in the most secure environment possible. In addition, baccarat is available at most regulated online casinos in the US, and players can enjoy playing this classic casino game without leaving their home.