How to Play

Punto Banco is the dominant modern form of Baccarat, a house-banked casino card game where players bet on the Player (Punto), Banker (Banco), or Tie. The hand closest to 9 wins; all drawing decisions are automatic.

Punto Banco is the dominant modern form of Baccarat, played house-banked in casinos worldwide. There are two competing hands, Punto (Player) and Banco (Banker), and bettors wager before each round on which side will win, or on a Tie. Cards 2 through 9 score face value, 10s and face cards count 0, Aces count 1, and only the units digit of a total matters (so 7 + 8 = 15 → 5). The hand closest to 9 wins. Third-card draws follow a fixed tableau the croupier executes mechanically, so players make no playing decisions: the entire game is bet selection. Banker bet 1:1 (less 5% commission), Player bet 1:1, Tie 8:1.

Players

Up to 14 betting players plus a casino-employed croupier and dealers; the table is house-banked (the casino is always the bank). Players never act as the bank in Punto Banco. Multiple players bet on the same round; bets resolve simultaneously when the two hands are revealed. There are no partnerships, only individual wagers, and you may switch which side you back from round to round.

Card Deck

Either 6 or 8 standard 52-card decks shuffled together (312 or 416 cards) are loaded into a dealing shoe. A cut card is placed about 16 cards from the back of the shoe; when it is reached, the current round finishes and the shoe is reshuffled. Card values: Ace = 1; 2 through 9 = face value; 10, J, Q, K = 0. Suits are irrelevant. Hand value is the units digit of the sum (e.g., 9 + 7 = 16 → 6).

Objective

Place chips on Punto (Player), Banco (Banker), or Tie before the cards are dealt. Win if the side you backed has the higher hand value at the end of the round (after any required third-card draws). The croupier handles all dealing decisions; the bet is your only decision.

Setup and Deal

1. Shuffle 6 or 8 decks together; load into the shoe behind the cut card.
2. Place bets: Each player places chips in their chosen betting box (Player, Banker, or Tie) on the table layout. Bets must meet the table minimum and not exceed the maximum.
3. Initial deal: The croupier deals two cards face-up to the Player position and two cards face-up to the Banker position, alternating.
4. Compute totals: The croupier reads each hand: sum the cards and take the units digit. The hand value is now between 0 and 9.
5. Naturals: If either initial two-card hand totals 8 or 9 (a 'natural'), the round ends immediately; the higher natural wins, equal naturals tie. Skip to settlement.
6. Otherwise: Apply the third-card tableau (Gameplay) to determine if either side draws a third card. The croupier draws automatically following the tableau; players never decide.
7. Misdeal: if a card is exposed accidentally during the deal, the round is voided and re-dealt; bets remain in place.

Gameplay

1. Player tableau (resolved first): If Player's two-card total is 0 to 5, Player draws one card. If Player's total is 6 or 7, Player stands. (If Player had 8 or 9, the round already ended as a natural.)
2. Banker tableau (depends on Player's action): If Player stood (total 6 or 7), Banker draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7 (same as Player rule).
3. Banker draw rules when Player drew a third card: Banker's action depends on Banker's two-card total and the rank of Player's third card:
4. - Banker total 0, 1, 2: Always draw.
5. - Banker total 3: Draw unless Player's third card is 8 (then stand).
6. - Banker total 4: Draw if Player's third card is 2 to 7; otherwise stand.
7. - Banker total 5: Draw if Player's third card is 4 to 7; otherwise stand.
8. - Banker total 6: Draw if Player's third card is 6 or 7; otherwise stand.
9. - Banker total 7: Always stand.
10. Final compare: After any third-card draws, compute each side's final hand value (sum modulo 10). The hand with the higher value wins. Equal values are a Tie.
11. Settlement: Player bet pays 1:1 if Player wins; Banker bet pays 1:1 minus 5% commission if Banker wins; Tie bet pays 8:1 (some casinos pay 9:1) only if the round was a tie. On a Tie, Player and Banker bets are returned (push), not lost.

Scoring

• Player win: Player bet pays 1:1. Banker bet loses. Tie bet loses.
• Banker win: Banker bet pays 1:1 minus 5% commission (so a $20 winning bet pays $19 profit). Player bet loses. Tie bet loses.
• Tie: Tie bet pays 8:1 (or 9:1 in some casinos). Player and Banker bets are returned (push).
• House edge (8 decks, standard rules): Banker bet ≈ 1.06%. Player bet ≈ 1.24%. Tie bet ≈ 14.4% (8:1) or ≈ 4.85% (9:1).
• Side bets (where offered): Dragon 7 (Banker wins on 3-card 7), Panda 8 (Player wins on 3-card 8), Pairs (initial two cards same rank). Side bets carry higher house edges than main bets and should be approached with care.
• Match end: No fixed match length; players come and go; the table runs continuously until the cut card forces a reshuffle.

Winning

• Each round: The hand closest to 9 wins. The bet on that side wins; the other main bets lose. Tie bets win only on equal hand totals.
• No 'overall' winner: Punto Banco is round-by-round; players cash out chips at any time. Each session's winner is whoever leaves with the most chips.
• Naturals: A two-card 8 or 9 ends the round immediately; no third-card tableau is applied.
• Equal naturals: Both hands showing 8-8 or 9-9 (or 8-9 vs 8-9) push as a tie; Tie bet wins, Player and Banker bets are returned.

Common Variations

• Mini-Baccarat: Smaller table (7 player seats), faster pace, lower minimums. Same rules; no players touch the cards.
• Midi-Baccarat: Half-table version popular in Asian casinos.
• Chemin de Fer: Players take turns being the bank; the bank-side player chooses whether to draw a third card. The casino takes a percentage of bank wins. Older European version.
• Baccarat Banque: A single banker plays against two player hands; banker stays until they choose to step down or run out of money.
• EZ Baccarat: Banker bet pays 1:1 with no commission, but a Banker win on a 3-card 7 (the 'Dragon 7') pushes instead of paying. Side bet on Dragon 7 pays 40:1.
• Super 6: No commission on Banker wins, except a Banker win with a 6 pays only 1:2.
• Punto 2000: Side bets and bonus features for Player wins of certain margins.

Tips and Strategy

• Bet Banker by default. It has the lowest house edge (1.06%) of the three main bets even after the 5% commission.
• Avoid the Tie bet. At 8:1 payout the house edge is over 14%, the worst standard bet on the casino floor. The 9:1 version is still ~4.85% (much worse than Banker).
• Don't chase patterns. Punto Banco is independent round-to-round; the 'shoe scoreboard' of past results showing streaks ('Dragon Tail') has no predictive value.
• Side bets are sucker bets. Dragon 7, Panda 8, and Pairs all carry house edges of 4% to 11%. Stick to Banker.
• Set a session bankroll and stop-loss. With a 1.06% house edge per Banker bet, a 100-bet session loses $1.06 per $100 wagered on average; budget for natural variance (much wider swings are normal in 100 hands).
• Watch table minimums and commission method. Some tables track commission per hand (paid at session end); others deduct from each winning Banker bet. Know which to manage your chip count.
• Skip 'no commission' tables unless you understand the alternative penalty. EZ Baccarat and Super 6 trade the 5% commission for a Banker-6 push or half-payout that yields a similar overall house edge.

Glossary

• Punto: The Player position (the side you can bet on). Has nothing to do with the actual person betting.
• Banco: The Banker position (the other side you can bet on). Also house-banked.
• Natural: A two-card hand totalling 8 or 9; ends the round immediately.
• Tableau: The fixed third-card drawing rules the croupier executes; defines whether each side stands or draws.
• Cut card: A coloured card placed near the back of the shoe; when reached, the shoe is reshuffled.
• Shoe: The dealing box holding the 6 or 8 shuffled decks.
• Commission: The 5% fee on Banker wins, charged to compensate for Banker's slight statistical edge.
• Push: A returned bet (no win, no loss); happens to Player and Banker bets on a tie.
• Dragon 7 / Panda 8: Side bets on specific 3-card hand outcomes (EZ Baccarat).