Baccarat is a casino card game where you place bets on either the Player’s hand, Banker’s hand or Tie. The object is to win by betting on the hand that totals closest to nine. The cards are dealt face up and visible to everyone at the table. There are from seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer area. Two cards are dealt for each player and the banker each round. The Player’s and Banker’s hands are then ranked based on their sums, with nine being the highest. Picture cards and Tens are worth zero points, while numbered cards from 2-9 are their face value and the Ace is worth one point. When the total points on a hand reach double digits, the second digit becomes its value.

The game of baccarat has become a hot trend in the casino industry, especially among Asian high rollers. According to Bill Zender, who literally wrote the book on managing casino games and is a consultant for Forbes Passport, “baccarat has grown enormously because it’s unique in that it’s a game of skill and there are very few rules.”

Unlike blackjack, Asian baccarat customers often peek at their playing cards to determine the outcome of the hand. They will roll the corners and sides of the cards looking for a distinctive pattern to identify the card’s value. These types of actions are generally reprimanded by baccarat supervisors. In the past, it was standard procedure for customers to handle their own dealing cards, but this practice has been largely eliminated because of customer safety and card security issues.

Another key difference between baccarat and other casino games is the use of pre-shuffled playing cards. This allows new decks of cards to be inserted quickly into the game without the time-consuming inspection process. It also reduces the risk of the cards becoming contaminated or marked.

The specialized shuffle and dealing techniques used in baccarat require special training for the dealers. Most casinos hire a separate baccarat crew to perform these tasks, which is not the case in other casino games such as craps and roulette. This ensures the quality of the shuffle and handling of the cards.

In addition to the Player’s Bet, Banker’s Bet, and Tie Bet, baccarat offers an optional Super Six Bet and Pair Bet. The payouts for these bets vary by game, but they are typically higher than the Player’s Bet. Despite the high house edge, these bets are popular among players because they offer greater potential rewards. The Super Six Bet is a great way to diversify your winnings on the game of baccarat.