Baccarat is one of the most popular card games in casinos. It is a game of chance and skill, with a House Edge that’s lower than most other casino games. It is played by two players, the Banker and the Player, each with two cards. The goal of the game is to predict which hand will have the highest total or closest to 9.

There are a number of ways to bet on Baccarat. There are the traditional Player and Banker bets, as well as other side bets. You can also play Mini Baccarat, a version of the game with fewer cards and less betting limits than regular Baccarat.

The game is played with a dealing shoe that contains eight or six decks of cards. The cards are dealt from the shoe using a croupier. The croupier can only move cards from the shoe if they are allowed to do so by the rules of the game.

Every card has a numerical value and the numbers are displayed on a table. 2s through 9s count face value, tens and picture cards count zero, and the ace counts 1. The game’s name comes from the Italian word baccara, which means “zero”.

Aside from its name, Baccarat is similar to roulette in that each round has an objective. The banker’s goal is to win, and the player’s is to lose. The player can either bet on the banker or player, or they can wager that a tie will occur.

Some casinos also allow bettors to place a second bet on the Banker’s hand, which pays only if the banker wins. The payout for this bet is only half of the original banker bet.

There are other versions of the game, such as Punto Banco, which was invented in Havana, Cuba. The game has a slightly lower house edge than regular Baccarat and is often played by high rollers.

Baccarat was originally invented in Italy and was later brought to France, where it quickly became a popular game. When public gambling was outlawed in France in 1837, it continued to be played at home by the rich and common people.

This game can be found in most casinos around the world and is a great way to entertain yourself while you are at the casino. If you are new to this game, it is important to read the rules and develop a strategy before placing a bet.

Traditionally, the first two cards of each hand were concealed from the opponent until the decision was made. This is a strategy that was refined during the 19th century.

Chemin de Fer and Baccarat a Deux Tableaux are the two games that have retained this feature, although they are more streamlined than older versions of the game. These games are also popular in James Bond movies, notably the early Casino Royale and Dr. No and Thunderball, but they are not as well known or popular as the more streamlined versions of the game.