Exclude directory from rewrite rule - apache

Question

Below is my .htaccess file. I am trying to exclude the rewrite rules being applied to the /admin/ folder, however after spending an hour researching and trying various codes I have reached a wall.
Options -MultiViews
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
# Exclude admin directory
RewriteRule ^(admin|admin)($|/) - [L]
RewriteRule ^privacy$ pages/privacy.php [NC,L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)/(.*)/(.+)$ products.php?q=$3&rewrite=1&%{QUERY_STRING} [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)/(.*)/$ search.php?q=bw:&categoryFilter=$1&genreFilter=$2%{QUERY_STRING} [L,B]
RewriteRule ^(.*)/$ pages/format.php?format=$1 [NC,L}
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(/$|\.)
RewriteRule (.*) %{REQUEST_URI}/ [R=301,L]
The above code brings an internal 500 error and if I remove it will redirect me to the rewrite rule for the format. I was reading that The exclusion rewrite rule needs to be placed before the rule I want to overwrite. I don't understand why it's not working and what I have missed.
Thanks.

Answer 1

Try and write your rule this way.
# Exclude admin directory
RewriteRule ^admin/?$ - [L]

Answer 2

You have a syntax error in your .htaccess.
Have your .htaccess like this:
Options -MultiViews
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
# Exclude admin directory
RewriteRule ^admin($|/) - [L,NC]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(/$|\.)
RewriteRule (.*) %{REQUEST_URI}/ [R=301,L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f [OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -d
RewriteRule ^ - [L]
RewriteRule ^privacy$ pages/privacy.php [NC,L]
RewriteRule ^(.+)/(.+)/(.+)$ products.php?q=$3&rewrite=1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(.*)/(.*)/$ search.php?q=bw:&categoryFilter=$1&genreFilter=$2 [L,B,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(.+)/$ pages/format.php?format=$1 [NC,L]