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Play Punto Banco Baccarat Online 2024

John Ford | July 10, 2022 | Updated on: January 29th, 2024


punto banco strategyPunto Banco is a variation of the popular Baccarat game, which plays with eight decks.  In Punto Banco, the objective is to bet on the possibility of the banker or player getting a hand as close to 9 as possible.

The overwhelming simplicity of the game, the low house edge, and the high chance of doubling your money have made the game a popular option with casino players.

On this page, you will find detailed explanations of how Punto Banco differs from baccarat, its rules, some helpful tips, and strategy.

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Punto Banco Page Links

How to Play

With Punto Banco, you have to place a bet on either the player or the banker. You can also place a bet on a draw, but very few players go with this option. The player with a hand value closest to 9, and this total is determined using the values of cards held.

Cards 1-9 keep their face value in points, while the jack, queen, king, and the number 10 count as zero. Should the hand exceed 9, then the value is reduced by 10.  That becomes the new total.

How it works is that the dealer will distribute two cards to the player and the banker face up. The dealer can also deal a third card according to the rules. The sum of the cards is then calculated, and the hand closest to nine wins.

You don’t actually win based on the score of your hand. You win based on your bet. Also, you can bet on either the player or the banker to win the game.

At most, there can be a maximum of twelve players in a game at a time. The casino is the designated banker, and the player will be designated to the highest bidder.

Punto Banco Rules

The most important rule in Punto Banco is that every hand that goes over nine starts back at zero. For example, if the dealer has a hand of two eights, the sum of the hand is 16. The score of the hand will be reduced by 10, making the total sum 6.

Here are some other rules you should know before you start playing Punto Banco. It may take some time to remember all of these completely, but with time you will remember.

The best part is that the dealer will always announce their move, so you at least get a helping hand when playing.

 

Player Drawing Rules

  • You need to draw one card if you hold a hand with a score of 0 to 5.
  • If you hold a 6 or 7, stand.
  • Always stand on a 9 or 8.

 

Banco Drawing Rules

  • The banker always draws with a hand score of 2, 1, or 0.
  • If the player has a hand score of between 4 and 9 and the banker holds a hand of 3, the banker draws.
  • The banker will draw with a hand score of four if the player holds 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.
  • If the player has a score of 4, 5, 6, or 7 and the banker has 5, the banker draws.
  • The banker will draw on a hand of 6 if the player holds a hand of 6 or 7.
  • The banker always stands on a hand score of 7, 8 or 9.
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Punto Banco vs Baccarat

In basic baccarat, the house is the bank, and depending in the variations of the game, the role of the banker differs.

For example, in Chemin de Fer, also known as chemmy, the banker can be passed from player to player when the house loses. The player left of the banker will become the new banker.

In Punto Banco, the dealer or house will always be the banker. This variation is the most commonly played version of the game. All you have to bet is on the player, banker, or tie.

Payouts and odds

As there are three different bets in this game, there are three types of payouts. The payout depends on the winning hand and whether there is a tie or not.

  • Banker and player bets pay out 1:1 or even money. However, you will have to pay 5% commission to the house if you bet on the banker.
  • Égalité bets (or the tie bet) pays out at 8:1, which makes them the most attractive bets in the game.
  • If the Banco hand wins with a score of 6, all bets placed on this hand will win at a payout rate of 55:100.

 

Punto Banco is a game with a good house edge.  However, it still has a house edge because of its drawing rules. The banker bets hold a house edge of 1.17%, player bets have a house edge of 1.36%, and égalité bets hold a house edge of 14%.

 

Punto Banco Strategy

Using a  strategy will not only improve your odds in Punto Banco, but it will make the game more exciting. You can also use betting systems to the game a bit more enjoyable. If the casino is offering any bonuses, take advantage them to enhance your playing experience.

Here are some of the strategies you can employ to improve your chances of winning.

  1. You have to understand the way the game works. Remember you are playing against the house, and betting on the banker does not mean you are betting against yourself.
  2. It is better to bet on the player or the banker as the odds are always in favor of these two bets.
  3. Use the even money bets to raise your stakes. The most used system is the 1-3-2-4 series. In this system, your first bet is one unit, second is three units, third bet is two units, and fourth bet is four units. When you lose, you go back to the first bet.
  4. Other players prefer to use the Reverse Martingale system. Systems don’t really increase your odds, but it would hurt to try it out.

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