Learn How to Play Punto Banco

Objective of the Game

Punto Banco is one of the most popular casino table games both live and online, simply because it offers a very small house edge, providing players with a high chance of doubling their money very easily. Punto Banco is very simply to play, as the player simply needs to choose whether to bet on Punto (Player) or Banco (bank). To play online, take a look at the popular, Zinkra and Stake.com who offer wide range of online games, great welcome offers as well as cashback bonuses for loyal customers. Or, Sign Up from anywhere in the world with the Anonymous, NO-KYC required7BitCasino.com and MirAX Casino and get your 150 Free Spins!

Both Punto and Banco are dealt a minimum of two cards each and from there, there are rules towards if the dealer needs to draw more cards towards one of the two. The winner of the hand is determined by which of the two that reaches nine or the number closest to nine. There is a also the possibility of a draw, which is where the casino gains its edge, but the chance of a draw is very small.

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Game Play

Only the players seated a table in real casinos are allowed to place bets, while online you will be able to place bets whenever you are inside a Punto Banco game. You will then place a bet on either Punto or Banco to win the game and once all bets has been placed, the game will begin. Players can also place a bet on draw, but very few does this, as it is a rare occurrence due to the casino using eight decks of cards in the game.

The dealer will then deal two cards face up to both the Punto and to the Banco and will accordingly with the rules either deal one more card or leave it as it is. The total value of the cards are then calculated and the side closest to nine will then win and the players are paid out. A very simple game to understand, as soon as you know what the card values are. In the next section you can get to understand how the values of each card is determined.

Card Values

Let’s have a look at the card values, so you easier understand exactly what each card is worth when the dealer begins to turn them around:

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  • 10’s, Jacks, Queens and Kings counts as 0
  • 2-9 counts as its natural value
  • Aces counts as 1

Now you are probably wondering how the game can only count to nine, since both Punto and Banco are dealt two cards, which easily can provide values over nine. In the next section we will write about the rules and we promise everything will make a little more sense for you.

The Rules

The most important rule to understand in Punto Banco is the rule where everything that goes over nine starts back from zero. This means that if the dealer deals Punto two eights, then the value is not 16 but instead only six and so forth. With this in mind, there are different rules for when Punto and Banco have to hit another card on the tables, which is explained below:

Punto Drawing Rules

  • 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in value – Draw one card
  • 6 and 7 in value stands
  • 8 and 9 are “naturals” and always stands

Banco Drawing Rules

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  • 0, 1 and 2 is always a draw
  • 3 draws when Punto has 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9
  • 4 draws when Punto has 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
  • 5 draws when Punto has 4, 5, 6 and 7
  • 6 draws when Punto has 6 and 7
  • 7 stands
  • 8 and 9 are naturals
Punto Banco: Banco Drawing Rules

These are the basic rules of Punto Banco, which may take some time to remember completely, but by time you will remember. The dealer will also always announce which move he/she has to do, so in a live casino you will be able to follow the action as easy as you can online.

Payouts

The payouts when you play Punto Banco depends on which of the options that you choose to place your bet on. If you place a bet on Punto winning then you will be paid even money on your bet if you win, while placing a bet on Banco will pay 19-20 in odds, which means that there is a 5% “tax” or “commission” for winning bets placed on banco.

Should you want to place a bet on draw, then you get even higher odds due to the chances of you winning are very low. Most casinos will write that tie’s pay 9-1, which in reality is 8:1 on your money. The casino edge on bets on tie’s are a massive 14% compared to 1.27% on Punto or Banco, so remember this if you feel like placing a bet on a tie.

What are the Most Important Punto Banco Rules You Must Know?

Having explained the Punto Banco rules to quite some detail in the above paragraphs, we will shortly summarize the most important ones that you should really remember when you just start to play. Not knowing and applying the knowledge of these rules could lower your chances of winning. Here is a short summary of the most important Punto Banco rules:

  • Punto (player) or Banco (bank) wins whenever their hand reaches nine points
  • Cards are dealt from a six or eight deck set of cards
  • Punto and Banco are mandated to draw per preset rules, the drawing rules
  • Know the value of the cards!
  • When value of cards go over nine, your hand value will ‘reset’ and starts back from zero. For example, you are dealt two sixes which is then not considered 12 but instead 2
  • You can bet on Punto or Banco to win, or for a Draw
  • While getting 8:1 on your money, the house edge is very high on a Draw, 14.4%

Are Punto Banco and Baccarat the Same Game?

Strictly speaking, Punto Banco is one of the three variants of Baccarat, next to baccarat chemin de fer and baccarat banque.

However, when people mention Punto Banco and Baccarat and differences to the game, it considers Baccarat and Punto Banco as two different games, and for a good reason.

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In Punto Banco, the cards that the player is dealt dictate the player’s move, as per the drawing rules in beforementioned paragraph.

A big difference in Baccarat versus Punto Banco is that in Baccarat, the player’s input is important and makes decisions on what move to make.

Nevertheless, a popular casino game in all parts of the world, Punto Banco is most often called Baccarat.

Punto Banco and Baccarat is believed to origin from France, however the exact timeline remains disputed. While some say the game is many centuries old dating as far back as the 15th century, others say the game is a bit newer, originating in the 19th century.

Undisputed though is the fact that when it comes to most popular card games played in a casino, Punto Banco is topping the charts. The game has often featured in the James Bond movies, with 007 enjoying a good game of Punto Banco in the casino.

What are the Winning Odds in Punto Banco?

Odds in Punto Banco are very clear. When betting on Banco (banker) to win, odds are 45.9% for success. When betting on Punto (player), chances of winning are 44.6%.

You can also bet on a Draw or Tie, but odds are much lower at 9.5%

What is the House Edge in Punto Banco?

One reason that Punto Banco is such a popular casino card game is because of the house edge. The average profit expectations for the house or casino are lower than other casino games and this leads to Punto Banco being a gambler’s choice, giving excellent value.

The overall house edge in Punto Banco is calculated at 1.24%, with bets on Banco (bank) having an edge of 1.06% and Punto (player) bets having a house edge of 1.36%. Betting on a Draw or Tie is something all casinos would want its customers to be doing, as it is good for a house edge of 14.4% in Punto Banco.

What is the Best Strategy in Punto Banco?

Purely looking at the odds and house edge, the best choice will always be to bet on Banco (bank). With this being the best strategy in Punto Banco from a mathematical standpoint, we also have to account for the luck factor which can work both ways for you.  Therefore, as a rule of thumb in Punto Banco and Baccarat, and perhaps in most casino games, keep in mind to get up from the table when you are winning.

Where to Play Punto Banco Online?

To play this exciting casino card game online, we recommend Zinkra and Stake.com who offer wide range of online games, great welcome offers as well as cashback bonuses for loyal customers. Or, Sign Up from anywhere in the world with the Anonymous, NO-KYC required7BitCasino.com and MirAX Casino and get your 150 Free Spins!