Baccarat is an exciting casino game of pure chance. While it may be portrayed as sophisticated and elegant in movies (especially James Bond films), baccarat is actually an easy, slow-paced game that doesn’t require much strategy or skill. Baccarat is also one of the easiest casino games to play online and offers some of the best odds in any game.

During each round or hand of baccarat, the player and banker receive two cards each. A total value is determined by adding up the values of the cards. Cards from 2 to 9 retain their face value, while the royals get zero. The goal is to get as close to nine as possible without going over.

The game is played on a large table with 12 seats. Each seat has a designated area where bets are placed. The croupier, or dealer, deals the cards from a box, called a shoe. The shoes contain eight decks of cards and are shuffled together before each deal.

In baccarat, you can bet on the player hand, the banker hand, or the tie. Each of these wagers has a different payout and odds. In addition to these three main bets, baccarat also offers several side bets. These side bets can vary by platform or establishment, but they all have specific payoffs.

The banker pair is a side bet that wagers that the first two cards dealt to the Banker will be of equal value and suit. This bet pays out at 11:1 odds.