Baccarat is a popular casino game that involves betting on the winner of a hand. It is a simple game to learn, and compared with blackjack and roulette which have multiple bets, baccarat can be completed fairly quickly.
The game of baccarat is played on a large table that has a number of numbered areas to mark player bets. Players sit around the table in counterclockwise order. One player begins the game as the banker and sets an initial amount of money to bet. Other players may choose to add more bets in addition to the banker bet, but they must not exceed the banker’s amount.
A croupier, or dealer, deals cards from a special dealing shoe that contains eight decks of cards. The shoe is shuffled before each round, and a new deck is dealt after the previous hand has ended. The croupier also collects winning bets and pays losing bets. The dealer also takes a 5% commission on the banker’s bet, which is how casinos make money from baccarat.
While baccarat is considered a game of chance, there are strategies that can be used to improve your odds of winning. These strategies can include betting on the player or the banker and placing your bets in the right area of the table. It is also important to set a bankroll and stick to it.
Baccarat is often played for high stakes and is featured in many films. Most famously, it was the game of choice in the James Bond film series. The game’s glamour has made it an icon of gambling. The game has been portrayed in many different ways in the movies, including in the 1956 French heist film Bob le Flambeur; the 2007 movie Rush Hour 3, where James Carter and Genevieve first meet; and in several filmed versions of Casino Royale, Dr. No, Thunderball, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and GoldenEye.