Guide
Baccarat rules: Punto Banco explained, with the full drawing table
Punto Banco is played to fixed rules with no player decisions after the bet. Card values, the full third-card table, commission and what each bet returns.
Punto banco is the version of baccarat dealt at casinos in Great Britain and online: two hands, Player (punto) and Banker (banco), are dealt to fixed rules, and you simply bet on which will finish closer to 9, or on a tie. Nobody makes decisions once the bets are placed, so learning punto banco baccarat means learning how the hands are counted and when a third card is drawn. The game's main bets carry some of the lowest house edges in the casino.
On this page
Card values and how a total is counted
Aces count 1, cards 2 to 9 count at face value, and tens and picture cards count 0. A hand's total is the last digit of the sum of its cards: 7 and 8 make 15, which counts as 5; 9 and 6 make 15, also 5; a king and a queen make 0. The highest total is therefore 9.
Each hand starts with two cards. If either hand totals 8 or 9 on its first two cards, that is a "natural": both hands stand and the round is settled immediately.
When the Player hand draws
| Player's first two cards total | Action |
|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Draws a third card |
| 6 or 7 | Stands |
| 8 or 9 | Natural, no more cards for either hand |
When the Banker hand draws
If the Player stood on 6 or 7, the Banker follows the same simple rule: draw on 0 to 5, stand on 6 or 7. If the Player drew a third card, the Banker's action depends on its own total and the value of that third card:
| Banker total | Banker draws if Player's third card is | Banker stands if Player's third card is |
|---|---|---|
| 0, 1 or 2 | Any card | - |
| 3 | Any except 8 | 8 |
| 4 | 2 to 7 | 0, 1, 8 or 9 |
| 5 | 4 to 7 | 0 to 3, 8 or 9 |
| 6 | 6 or 7 | 0 to 5, 8 or 9 |
| 7 | Never | Any card |
Here a ten or picture card counts as 0. You do not need to memorise this table to play: the dealer or software applies it automatically. Knowing it simply explains why some rounds end on two cards and others run to six.
Punto banco bets, payouts and commission
| Bet | Standard payout | Approximate house edge (8 decks) |
|---|---|---|
| Player | 1 to 1 | 1.24% |
| Banker | 1 to 1 less 5% commission | 1.06% |
| Tie | 8 to 1 | 14.4% |
The drawing rules give the Banker hand a slightly better chance of winning, because it acts with knowledge of the Player's third card. The 5% commission on Banker wins is how the casino restores its edge: a £10 winning Banker bet returns £9.50 profit. If the hands tie, Player and Banker bets are returned (a push) rather than lost. Some tables pay 9 to 1 on the Tie, which lowers its edge but still leaves it far above the two main bets.
No-commission baccarat
Many online and live tables offer a no-commission version. Banker wins pay 1 to 1 with no deduction, except in one case: a Banker win with a total of 6 typically pays only half. That single exception replaces the 5% commission and slightly raises the house edge on the Banker bet compared with the classic version. The exact rule is shown in each table's help screen, so check it before betting.
Side bets and what they change
Pairs (Player Pair, Banker Pair), "Dragon" bonus bets on a winning margin, and multiplier features such as random lightning cards all sit on top of punto banco. They pay higher amounts for rarer outcomes and nearly always carry much higher edges than the Player and Banker bets. Multiplier tables also usually charge a fee or reduce the base payout to fund the multipliers. The online baccarat page covers live tables and variants in more detail.
Scorecards, streaks and the maths
Live tables show road maps and scorecards of past results. Each round is dealt from the shoe independently of the pattern on the board, and following a streak or "chop" does not change the edge on the next hand. The two main bets are close to even, so results swing widely in a short session. The house edge guide compares baccarat's figures with roulette and blackjack.
Online baccarat in Great Britain is not covered by the £5 slot stake limit, but each round must take at least 5 seconds and autoplay is banned. Baccarat for real money is for adults aged 18 and over; set a budget before you start and see the responsible gambling page for limits and support.
Questions readers ask
What does punto banco mean?
Punto is the Player hand and banco the Banker hand. Punto banco is the fixed-rule form of baccarat used in casinos and online in Great Britain.
Does the player choose whether to draw a third card?
No. In punto banco both hands follow a fixed drawing table, applied by the dealer or the software. Your only decision is the bet.
Why does the Banker bet pay less than even money?
The drawing rules give the Banker hand a small advantage, so a 5% commission is taken from Banker wins to keep the house edge.
Is the Tie bet worth it?
At 8 to 1 it carries an edge of about 14%, more than ten times that of the Banker or Player bet. A 9 to 1 Tie is lower but still high.