Baccarat is one of the oldest casino games and remains one of the most popular around the world. Despite its glamorous trappings (who can forget James Bond playing baccarat against the villain Le Chiffre in the film Casino Royal?) the game has an unmistakable air of seriousness and a mathematical edge that makes it hard to beat.

Baccarat has become so popular that it’s even found a home in online casinos, where players can enjoy the thrill of the game at any time of day or night. Unlike physical casinos, where players can play with real cash or chips, baccarat online offers a variety of bonus features and promotions to attract players and reward them for their loyalty.

The game begins with seven to 14 players seated around the table, each with their own betting area. Two hands of cards are dealt: the Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand. The goal of the game is to have a hand total closest to nine without going over. A winning hand is determined by the number of points it has, with Picture cards worth zero, numbered cards from 2-9 worth their face value, and the Ace card being valued at one point. A tie is not possible, and the banker’s hand wins if it has higher points than the player’s hand.

As the game progresses, players will want to keep track of results on a baccarat score sheet and look for pattern trends. If the shoe shows a pattern of zigzags between banker and player wins, players should alternate their bets on the banker and player hands until the streak changes. A double win streak on both sides is another sign that it’s time to exit the game and wait for the next round.

Besides keeping track of the results, baccarat players will want to know how much they should bet. This is especially important for new players, who can easily overspend and get carried away in the excitement of the game. As with any gambling game, it’s a good idea to decide in advance how much you’re willing to spend, and stick to that amount throughout the session.

As with other casino games, there are a number of different strategies for baccarat, including the Martingale system, which works well on bets that pay out even money. The game also allows for a variety of side bets, including the Super Six Bet and the Banker Pair Bet, which offer larger payouts. The payouts for these bets vary according to the rules of the specific baccarat variant.