In short, yes. Baccarat is pretty old. That's the same as many of the classic casino games, like roulette and blackjack. But the exact age of the game is up for debate.

Some say that baccarat goes as far back as the 1400s and is based on an Italian game.

However, others say the 1800s is a more likely start date for the card game.

The upper crust of French society were wild about baccarat in the 19th century. They played it on ornate card tables with early style playing cards.

We're going to get into strategy later on in these baccarat FAQs, but before we do, let's set the scene for those of you who don't know much about baccarat.

Baccarat is about two hands: the player's hand and the banker's hand. And the objective is to reach 9 points.

The three outcomes in a game of baccarat are that the player wins, the banker wins or it's a draw, aka egalite.

The interesting thing about baccarat is you can bet on any outcome. You're not tied to the player's bets, like in some other games.

Another important thing to get your head around is how hands are scored. It's pretty simple though, don't worry. Just remember this:

• 0 points for Royals and 10s
• 1 point for Aces
• 2-9 number cards are each worth their face value

The maximum you can score in a game of baccarat is 9 points. If your hand adds up to more than 9 points, the first digit is struck off and the second digit becomes your score.

So for example, if you get two 7s, they add up to 14. But you strike off the 1 and then you're left with a 4 point score.

• Banker's total is 2 points or less
• Player's third card is any card apart from 8 and the banker has 3 points or less
• Banker's total is 4 points and the player's third card is anything apart from 2-7 number cards
• Player's third card is anything except 4-7 number cards and the banker's total is 5 points
• Banker's total is 6 points and player's third card is any card except 6 or 7

• Banker's total is 3 points and the player's third card is 8
• Player's third card is 2-7 number cards and the banker's total is 4 points
• Banker's total is 5 points and the player's third card is 4-7 number cards
• Player's third card is 6 or 7 and the banker's total is 6 points
• Banker's total is 7 points

After the third card is drawn, the winning hand is the one that's closest to 9 points.

Here's what you can expect to get if you win:

• Banco winning hands are paid out at 19:20
• Punto winning hands are paid out at 1:1
• Tie bets are paid out at 9:1

Many decent online casinos stock baccarat games. But one of our favourites at the moment has got to be bet365.

You can play regular baccarat or you can bring it to life with Live Casino baccarat streamed straight to your computer screen.

There are lots of different budget options, so you can start as small as you like while you're getting the hang of things.

Plus, there's this great bet365 bonus code for new players.

Most decent casinos do have at least a few baccarat tables. It's always so much fun playing in real life, but we'd advise getting the hang of it online first before you book flights to Vegas!

Yes, it is! Baccarat is a great casino game to play at home, whether it's casually with one or two friends or during a full-blown DIY casino party night.

In a casino, baccarat is usually played with six to eight decks of cards. But if you're just playing for fun with friends, pick up a couple of cool decks and go for it.