Punto Banco is a baccarat variant originally developed in Argentinian casinos, which arrived in the United States back in the 1950s. Since then, it has succeeded in changing the gambling world, becoming popular in gambling venues across all continents.
With the development of the internet, Punto Banco got its online version. Today, baccarat games online are known as Punto Banco and use the version’s very simple rules. In this article, we will discuss Punto Banco’s rules and talk about strategies you can use while playing the game.
Game Rules of Punto Banco
Online Punto Banco is played with a shoe consisting of six or eight decks. There’s no real dealer, only the virtual one. After placing your bets, you’re automatically going to receive your cards.
Punto Banco involves simple arithmetic, so it’s essential to get familiar with the card values before actually playing the game:
- 10s and Royals carry a value of zero.
- Cards 2-9 have their face value.
- An Ace has a value of one.
- If two cards provide a double-digit score, the last digit determines the value.
Player or Banker?
Punto Banco comes with two main bets, Player or Banker. The third one, known as the tie bet, rarely occurs. You’ll wager on whether the player or the banker will win the round, placing any amount of money stipulated at the table.
After you finish with betting, both the player and the banker will receive two hands each. The goal of the game is to get as close to nine. Getting an eight or nine is called a natural, and if anyone is dealt this, the hand will immediately end.
The player will be dealt another card if his hand is five or less. The same goes for the banker.
A maximum of three cards can be dealt. If the player takes a third card, the banker can choose to do the same thing.
Once all cards are dealt, the score will be compared, and all wagers made on the winning hand will be paid out. If the game is a tie, and you bet on such an outcome, then you’ll win 8:1.