Punto Banco Guide and Basic Strategy

Punto Banco, which is also known as Baccarat, is one of the most popular casino games due to its simplicity. Having started off as a high roller game, Punto Banco has evolved to accepting all sorts of players with different bankrolls. It is easy to learn and is enjoyable once you are familiar with the game. Below, we take a look at all you need to know about Baccarat in our Punto Banco guide.

A Punto Banco Guide

One of the most popular games at online casino sites is Punto Banco. The game goes by the name of Baccarat as well. It originated in Asia but has since become vastly popular across Europe and both North and South America.

In Punto Banco, all you have to do is bet on the outcome of a round. The round can end in three conclusions. Either the Player position wins, the Banker position wins or the round ends as a Tie. You will have the choice of betting on either the Player or the Banker position, with a Tie also being a betting option as well. The alternative is to look at our latest jackpot ratings for other games.

How to play Punto Banco

Punto Banco is just another term for the popular game of baccarat. Punto Banco is easy to learn because the rules are straightforward. In a nutshell, you will be able to wager on the Player or the Banker. It makes no difference which side you bet on; the goal is to predict which position will be closest to 9 at the end of the round.

You will have the option of betting on the Player, the Banker, or a Tie before the round begins. Your wager must match the outcome of the subsequent round in order to win.

Once all bets have been placed, the round will begin. The dealer deals two cards to the Player and two cards to the Banker positions to begin the game. Normally, this is the end of the round, but the Player or the Banker may be dealt a third card in certain circumstances.

All face cards (Jack, Queen, King) and 10s are valued zero in Punto Banco, meaning they have no effect on the value of each position. The last digit determines the locations; therefore, you only need to pay attention to it. If you have nine and eight, the value is seven, not seventeen. The goal of the game is to gamble on the position that will end up closest to 9.

Third Card Rules in Punto Banco

As previously stated, there are times when a third card is drawn on either the Player or the Banker position in Punto Banco. These rules may appear confusing at first, but once you’ve gotten used to them, you’ll be fine when the third card emerges. The third card will be chosen in the following situations:

• The Player or the Banker will always stand on a total of 8 or 9
• If the Player has a 6 or 7, the Player will always stand
• The Banker will draw a card if the Player stands, and the Banker has a total of 5 or less
• The Player will draw a card if they have a total of 5 or less

In addition, the Banker will draw a third card in the following circumstances:

• The Banker will draw a card if their total is either 0, 1 or 2
• A third card for the Banker will be drawn if their total is 3 and the Player’s third card was 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 or 0 (not 8)
• The Banker will draw a card if their total is 4 and the Player’s third card was 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7
• The Banker will draw a card if their total is 5 and the Player’s third card was 4, 5, 6 or 7
• A third card for the Banker will be drawn if their total is 6 and the Player’s third card was 6 or 7
• The Banker will always stand if they have a total of 7

How Punto Banco Pays

In most games of baccarat, all winning bets on the Banker position will be subject to a 5% charge. In the case of Punto Banco games, however, this is not the case. While the majority of them have a 5% commission, there are other No Commission Punto Banco games. Should your wager win in those games, both the Player and the Banker positions will pay even money at 1:1. The only exception is if the Banker wins with a 6, in which case the Banker position pays only 0.5:1. In most Punto Banco games, a winning Tie bet will result in an 8:1 pay-out, however this may vary.

Punto Banco Tips

Before we look at basic Punto Banco strategy, it’s a good idea to brush up on certain fundamentals. Punto Banco is a game in which you can place two positions and three stakes. A wager on the Player or Banker positions, or a wager on a tie. There are benefits and drawbacks to consider in every case.

If your bet wins, most variants of Punto Banco will charge you a 5% commission on the Banker position. This is because the Banker position, according to statistics, has a minor edge over the Player position. The computations for this are done using the third card’s rules. As a result, the Banker will always have a tiny advantage over the Player, resulting in more victories.

That isn’t to say that the Player position should be dismissed totally. When playing Punto Banco, the Player position becomes favorable because the Banker position has a 5% commission. Due to the fee, you will receive the full 1:1 payout everytime you put a successful bet on the Player position.

No Commission Punto Banco

Things alter when you play Punto Banco with No Commission. In some games, betting on the Player position isn’t as profitable, thus you’re better off betting on the Banker. The house edge is lower, and the position has a higher chance of winning than the Player.

You can bet on a tie as your final bet. This is a particularly dangerous wager to make, but the benefits are substantial. In most games of Punto Banco, a Tie bet pays off at an 8:1 ratio. As a result, is the payoff worth the risk, or is it?

In other words, statistics suggest that a tie at the end of the round happens in less than 10% of all hands. As a result, statistics reveal that if you play 100 times, a tie outcome should only occur about 10 times.

Gambling, on the other hand, is not about numbers. You can play up to 100 hands at a time, with 80 tie bets. Everything hinges on the luck of the draw. It may be worthwhile to play tie bets on occasion, as long as your bankroll is balanced.

How to use Punto Banco Basic Strategy

You should try to wager as near to the Banker hand as possible, according to classic Punto Banco strategy. It has a better probability of winning than the Player, thus the general rule is to bet the most on it. Here’s an example of a strategy you can use.

Your first bet should always be on the Banker position when sitting at a Punto Banco table or joining a Live Casino table. If the Banker position wins, continue to place the same wager on it.

You could be tempted to move to the Player position if it loses. This should not be done. Instead of switching, place another stake on the Banker position. If you lose that bet, you can go to the Player position. Continue betting on the Player position, but after one defeat, move back to the Banker position.

If there is a tie, you should disregard it. As a result, if you’re betting on the Banker position and it loses to a Tie, don’t cease betting on it. If you’re betting on the Player position and there’s a tie, simply swap to the Banker position.

In essence, managing your bankroll is the final step in implementing Punto Banco’s core approach. It is recommended that you play with 100 hands. Thus, if you start with €/£0.10 and play 100 hands, you will end up spending €/£10. Although you are unlikely to lose 100 consecutive rounds, you should manage your money accordingly.

The Bottom Line

With the exception of the third card rules, Punto Banco is a very simple game to master. The game gets highly enjoyable after you are familiar with the rules. The basic strategy advice would urge you to be as close to the Banker position as possible while still being cautious with your money.

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