Baccarat, also known as baku, is one of the world’s most popular casino games. It’s a simple game to learn, and the rules are relatively straightforward. This makes baccarat an ideal choice for casual players who want to experience the thrill of a live dealer game without traveling to a land-based casino.

In baccarat, the aim is to predict which hand will come closest to nine points. Players place their bets on either the Player or Banker hands, hoping that the final digit when adding up all the pips (the dots on a card representing clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades) will be closest to 9. A winning hand pays out 9 to 1.

The game begins with a player announcing “go bank” before the other players can place their bets. Once everyone has placed their bets, the dealer will deal two cards for the banker and player. A third card can be dealt if the first two are a tie. Once the players and the banker have revealed their hands, the winner is declared.

Unlike blackjack or roulette, there are no side bets in baccarat. However, players can add extra bets to their initial wager by betting on the winnings of the player or banker. If the bettor correctly predicted a winning player or banker hand, they will receive a payout of 9 to 1 and will get their stake back. A winning tie bet qualifies for a payout of 8 to 1. The dealer collects the lost bets and pays out the winnings, collecting a 5% commission on winning bets on the banker’s hand.