Baccarat is a card game that has become a favorite of many people, including celebrities. It is known for its high stakes and glamorous atmosphere. However, it is also easy to understand and can be played by almost anyone. There are only three possible outcomes in a hand. It is a comparing game where the objective is to get a hand that has a value closest to 9.

A croupier deals cards from a dealing box or shoe, which holds eight standard 52-card packs. Players place their bets on either the Player hand or the Banker hand. There is also a Tie bet, which has a 14.1 percent house edge in favor of the casino. Smart players avoid the Tie bet and focus on the two main bets.

After the player and banker make their bets, the dealer draws four cards to start the hand. The first two cards are used for the Player hand and are placed below the word PLAYER as marked on the table. The third and fourth cards form the Banker hand and are placed below BANKER. The croupier then announces if the Player or Banker won or lost.

Points in baccarat are determined by adding up the values of each individual card. Number cards (2 to 9) have their face value, while the tens, jacks, and queens are worth zero points. The ace, on the other hand, has a value of one.