Baccarat is one of the most elegant casino games around, and a game featured in the 2013 film “The Great Gatsby.” While it may seem like a high-end, exclusive gambling game, the truth is that Baccarat can be enjoyed by any player with a reasonable bankroll. With a bit of planning, you can make this card game as much or as little fun as you want.

In order to maximize your winnings, it is important to follow good stake management techniques. When you play Baccarat, set a loss limit and stick to it. This will help you to avoid over-betting and losing all of your money. In addition, you should also have a win limit and try to adhere to it as well.

When you first sit down to play baccarat, you’ll be prompted to choose your wager amount. After that, the dealer will deal two cards to the player and banker. The player and banker hands compete to get a total closest to 9. Each hand is scored based on the sum of the cards, with only the rightmost digit being taken into account. In the case of a tie, neither side wins or loses.

Generally, the banker hand will win more often than the player’s hand. This is because the banker’s hand has a lower house edge than the player’s hand. However, the banker’s payout is subject to a 5% commission, which reduces the odds of the winning bet to about 19:20.

The player’s hand, on the other hand, is subject to a much higher house edge than the banker’s. As a result, players should steer clear of betting on the player’s hand, and instead focus their attention on placing bets on the banker’s hand. Whether you’re playing in person or online, this is a safer option, and it will allow you to maximize your winnings.

Another way to improve your chances of winning at Baccarat is to look for trends and patterns. If the player or banker is on a streak, then betting on them can be profitable. It is important to remember that only one side can win per round, and if both sides are on streaks at the same time, a tie will occur.

In addition to a player win, banker win, and a tie bet, baccarat offers a variety of other side bets. These bets can be placed before the round begins, and their payouts vary by establishment and platform. One of the most common side bets is on a player pair, which pays out at 11:1 odds. You can also wager on a banker pair, which pays out at 5:1 odds. Lastly, a tying bet is a wager on either the banker or player to have a pair on the deal. This bet pays out at 8:1 odds, but is less lucrative than the other bets on the table.