Whether you’re at a sticky-floor California card room or the tuxedo-laden casino floors of Monaco, Baccarat has become one of the world’s favorite gambling games. It may be a bit of a mystery to American gamblers, but this exotic game has grown in popularity over the past three decades. It’s been embraced by high rollers around the world and has one of the lowest house edges on banker and player bets. Baccarat is also a great alternative to Blackjack and has the added benefit of allowing players to place bets without leaving their seat.

Basically, Baccarat is all about making the best hand you can with a total value closest to 9. The tens and face cards count as zero points, while the remaining number of the card (the pips, or dots) determines its value. Aces always count as one. The dealer and the bettors each get two cards dealt, and whichever hand totals closer to nine wins. If a hand has a double-digit total, the second digit becomes the new total. For example, a hand with an 8 and a 6 would have the total of 16.

There are a few different ways to play Baccarat, but the most common method is to place your bets in the player’s box or the banker’s box. Once your bets are placed, the dealer deals the cards to each box and reveals them. If you bet on the Banker’s hand, you will pay a commission of 5% of your winnings to the house.

The game is fairly simple, but you should understand the rules of baccarat before betting your hard-earned money. You’ll have no control over the outcome of a hand once you place your bets, unlike in blackjack where you can decide to draw more cards or stand on your current total. The best way to approach Baccarat is to come with a plan. Set your losses and win limits in advance, and don’t play beyond those amounts.

Many baccarat casinos install scoreboards to help track previous results. These screens display results in a variety of formats, such as Bread Pan and Big Road, and can indicate if winning outcomes tend to “streak” or repeat. Some baccarat machines also feature prediction screens that advise players if the Banker or Player bets are likely to win, or if a Tie is expected. These tools can be helpful for high-rollers and new players alike.