Baccarat is a game of chance, and as with all casino games there is a house edge. But unlike the game of blackjack, where the house has a huge advantage, the house edge in baccarat is small. The reason is that the Player and Banker bets are a bit like tossing a coin, in which case the probability of heads or tails is equal for each flip. But the Tie bet, which is much more complicated to play, has a 14.1 percent house edge in favor of the casino.

The first step to playing baccarat well is to understand how the game works. After all players have made their bets, the dealer deals two cards each to the Player and Banker. A winning hand is one that comes closest to 9. The value of the card is determined by its number, with an ace and king worth 0 points and a seven or six counting as 1.

There are several different strategies for baccarat. Some gamblers swear by the Martingale system, while others use the Fibonacci strategy or the Paroli System Labouchere. But the best way to win is to avoid betting on ties, which have high odds of losing.

Baccarat is often played on large tables in the high-roller rooms of casinos and requires a minimum bet of $25. It is also popular online, and a number of our expert casino commendations offer this game. But if you are going to play in person, be sure to decide how much you want to spend beforehand and treat it as money you’re spending on a night out, not expecting to bring home.