Baccarat is one of the most popular games in casinos, both land-based and online. The game has a history that can be traced back centuries, but it has become especially popular in Asia and the United States over the last decade. It is a simple card game where players wager on whether the player or banker will win. The game has a house edge of less than 1% and offers a number of betting options, including the popular Tie bet.

While there are several different types of baccarat, most have the same basic rules. There are usually from seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer area. The cards are dealt face up, so the player and banker can see them. Each hand is evaluated based on its total value. The winner is whoever has a hand that comes closest to nine. The values of the cards are as follows: Picture cards, such as jacks, queens, and kings, have zero value; cards numbered from 2-9 have their face value; and aces have one point. When the total of a hand reaches a double digit, it is considered a tie and the player or banker does not draw a third card.

The Player and Banker bets pay out 1:1 if the winning hand is the player’s or banker’s, respectively. If the winning hand is a tie, a commission is paid to the casino, which can vary by jurisdiction. The game also offers a third option called the “Tie” bet, which pays 8:1 if both the Player and Banker hands equal a nine. The Tie bet has a higher house edge than the Player and Banker bets, so it is often avoided by serious players.

As a result of its popularity, baccarat has been seen as an elite game, synonymous with high stakes and luxury. The game has even made its way into movies, most recently in 2013’s The Great Gatsby, where a game was featured at one of Jay Gatsby’s extravagant parties. However, despite its prestigious reputation, the game is quite simple and accessible to players with even small bankrolls.

Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control Agent, casino dealer, executive, and consultant, has witnessed baccarat’s rise in popularity over his 40-year career. He says that Asian high rollers have almost universally made baccarat their game of choice for the cultural reasons he outlines, but that other factors, such as the game’s low house edge and high payout ratio on player and banker bets, have also been important. Baccarat is now widely available at many casino resorts, and its minimum bets are typically much lower than those of blackjack or roulette. In addition, the game has shed some of its James Bond pageantry with tuxedo-clad dealers and double tables, and is now often played on a single table that looks a lot like a blackjack game. This makes it a great option for high-rollers who want to play but don’t have the budget for those luxury touches.