From sticky-floor California card rooms to the tuxedo-laden casinos of Monaco, baccarat is one of the most popular casino games around. And while it may be best known for its appearance in the James Bond movies, baccarat is actually a very old game that’s been around for over 250 years.

The premise of the game is simple: Players bet on either the Banker, the Player, or a Tie. Each hand is dealt two cards from a six or eight-card shoe. The hand closest to nine wins. A third card is sometimes drawn, but only if the first two come up short of nine. The goal is to win as much money as possible by correctly guessing which hand will be the winner.

Baccarat is a game of chance and strategy, but the house edge can be mitigated with good game management and careful stake decisions. Players should always aim to bet on the Banker, as it has a lower house edge, but also be aware that the bank’s winning streaks can be erratic. Consequently, players should set a profit target for each session and stick to it.

While the Banker bet has a lower house edge, it is still a risky bet and requires vigorish or juice, which is collected by the dealer. This is typically 5% of the winning Banker bet amount. The vigorish helps offset the Banker’s low probability, and it is one of the main ways that casinos make their money in baccarat.

A common baccarat strategy is to follow pattern trends, which appear in the form of zigzags or double win streaks in the shoes. By following these patterns, players can increase their odds of winning by betting on the opposite hand when a streak appears. This strategy can be time consuming, and it’s important to keep track of wins and losses.

In addition to the standard Player, Banker, and Tie wagers, many online baccarat games feature side bets with different payouts and house edges. These bets can be a great way to add variety to the game, but it’s crucial that players research the odds and payouts of each bet before making any decisions.

Baccarat’s enduring popularity has generated numerous variations on the game and additional ways to bet and play. Some of the more popular side bets include the 1-3-2-4 system, which reduces the total bet by two units after each loss. The system can help players stretch their baccarat bankroll across more rounds and prevent them from making large bets during losing streaks.