What is Punto banco?
Punto banco is the most widely played form of baccarat, in which players bet on whether the Player hand, the Banker hand or a tie will finish closest to 9.
Two hands are dealt, called Player (punto) and Banker (banco). The names do not refer to the customer or the casino: the customer simply bets on one of the hands. Tens and picture cards count as zero, aces as one, and only the last digit of the total counts, so 7 plus 8 equals 5.
Whether either hand draws a third card is decided by fixed rules, so players make no decisions beyond choosing their bet. A total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards is a natural and ends the round.
Baccarat is the dominant game in Macau and other Asian casino markets and generates a large share of revenue there, especially in the premium mass and VIP segments. Its house edges are low on the main bets.
