Baccarat is one of the easiest casino games to play, and is a popular choice for players who enjoy simple card games with a slow pace. It is played by a group of people at a table and the player who places their bet first – or “goes banker” – announces the initial betting amount. The rest of the players then move in counterclockwise order and announce their betting amounts. They can add to their bet if they wish, but the total must not exceed the initial banker bet.
After the bets are placed, the dealer will deal two cards to each hand (one for the player and one for the banker). The total of these cards is then compared to nine to determine the winner. The final digit of the sum must be closer to nine than any other number. A nine is worth nine points, a seven is worth seven points, and a six is worth six points. A three is worth three, a four is worth four, and an ace is worth one.
There are also a few side bets that can be placed in baccarat, depending on the casino and platform. One of the most common is the Tie bet, which pays out at 8:1 odds (although this can vary by online casinos and betting platforms). Another is the Player Pair, which wagers that the player will receive identical cards on the deal – paying 11:1 odds.