Punto Banco: All You Need to Know

Punto Banco, also known as North American Baccarat, is a card game which is a variant of the more commonly known, baccarat. Punto Banco pits player (punto) against banker (banco); these are simply the names of the two hands played in the game, rather than a punter competing against the house. Punters sat at the table bet on which hand they think will win, the player or the banker. They can also choose to bet that the two hands will tie, or egalité.
The highest value that a hand can achieve is 9, with the lowest being 0. Two cards are dealt to each hand face up, and the values are counted. Cards 2-9 are worth the number on the card, i.e. a 2 is worth 2 points, and so on. 10, jack, queen and king are all worth 0, and an ace is worth 1 point. The two cards are added together based on these values, and the second digit of this sum is taken as the point value of the hand. So, for example, a 5 and a 4 would add up to 9, so the value of the hand is 9. An 8 and a 4 would add up to 12, so the value of the hand is 2, taking the second digit of the sum of the cards.

The sum of the players first two cards determines whether the hands stand or if more cards are drawn. If either hand is worth 8 or 9 points then the round, or coup, is over and is declared as either a player win, banker win, or egalité. If the player has 6 or 7 then they stand, if they have 0-5 then they draw a third card. In either of the latter two cases, the value of the players hand determines whether another card is dealt to the banker, varying depending on the given scenario. A winning player bet pays out even money, a winning banker bet pays out at 95% of even money, and a winning tie bet pays out 8-1.

Unlike other variations of baccarat, punto banco is based solely on luck, with the outcome being determined only by the cards drawn, and no element of skill or strategy. Punto Banco in casinos is often a high stakes game, so maybe familiarise yourself with the game online or with some friends before you dive right in.