Baccarat, sometimes known as Punto Banco or baccara, is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It is typically played for high stakes and can be found in the big money sections of European and Nevada casinos. It is a game that requires no technical skill to play and is almost entirely a matter of chance.

The rules of the game are simple – the player or banker hand that comes closest to nine wins, and a tie loses. The dealer pays out winning bets and collects losing bets. Winning bets on the Banker hand pay even money, but a winning Player hand must pay a 5% commission to the house. A winning Tie bet pays 8 to 1. Score sheets are kept on the table and are available to players.

The game is so popular that casinos in Macau, which dethroned Las Vegas as the biggest casino city in the world, make more money from baccarat than from all other games combined. It is also a common sight in the tuxedo-laden casinos of Monaco. The game is so well-known that many people think they know how to play, but there are a few things that should be understood before playing. The first is that, unlike blackjack or roulette, baccarat has only three bets: Player win, Banker win and Tie. This simplification makes it easy to learn, but it can also limit a player’s potential for a winning strategy.