Baccarat is that enigmatic card game you see in movies, where high rollers play in luxurious casinos. It has a mystique that appeals to players looking for a little extra excitement in their gambling experiences. While baccarat does involve some degree of luck, there are some strategies that can help you maximize your chances of winning.

One of the most common ways to win baccarat is by placing bets on the banker’s hand. However, this bet comes with a 5% commission that the house takes, so it’s not the best bet for beginners. Fortunately, there are some other betting options that can be just as profitable. These include betting on the player’s hand, a tie, or a no-win bet, all of which have lower house edges than the banker’s hand.

Whether you’re playing baccarat online or in person, the rules are the same. There are from seven to 14 seats at a table and two active gaming areas: the banker’s spot and the player’s spot. The dealer passes out cards face-up to each of these spots, and the player and banker compete against each other by putting down wagers on which hand will come closest to nine. The goal is to get as close as possible, but no player can go over nine. Picture cards and tens are worth zero points, while the rest of the cards are valued according to their number. An ace and a nine will equal 15, for example, while a 6 and an 8 will have a value of 10.

While there are many variations on baccarat, the basic game is always played with eight decks of cards. This is because fewer decks make it easier for the players to track the cards and predict patterns. In addition, fewer cards can also lead to a higher return-to-player percentage.

The popularity of baccarat has grown significantly in recent years, especially among Asian high rollers, says Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control Agent, casino executive, and consultant who literally wrote the book on managing casino games. He explains that these high rollers are drawn to baccarat for cultural reasons, as well as its low hold percentages (about 1.2 percent on banker and player bets).

While you won’t be able to eliminate the element of chance completely, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of success. One of the most important is to stay focused and not let your emotions get in the way of making sound decisions. Another is to watch for trends and patterns in the cards as they’re being dealt, so you can make better predictions about what will happen next. And of course, if you want to keep it fresh, try playing different baccarat variants. DraftKings, for instance, has specialty games like Lunar New Year Baccarat that change the feel of the game based on the lunar calendar. This is a great way to keep the game interesting and potentially lucrative.