Punto Banco: The Casino Version of Baccarat
Punto banco is the form of baccarat dealt in almost every casino and online lobby. “Punto” means player and “banco” means banker. In punto banco the casino banks every bet, the cards are dealt by fixed rules, and players only choose which hand to back. Older forms of the game, chemin de fer and baccarat banque, let players hold the bank and make drawing decisions. When an online casino lists “baccarat”, it almost always means punto banco. This page covers its structure and how it compares with the older versions. It is part of our baccarat guide.
Punto Banco vs Chemin de Fer vs Baccarat Banque
| Feature | Punto Banco | Chemin de Fer | Baccarat Banque |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who banks | The casino | Players, rotating | One player or the house for a session |
| Drawing decisions | None: fixed rules | Players decide in some situations (e.g. draw or stand on 5) | Player and banker have some choices |
| Who you bet against | The casino | Other players | The banker |
| House income | Edge built into payouts and 5% Banker commission | Commission on winning banks | Commission or fee |
| Where found | Casinos worldwide and online | Some European private rooms | Rare |
Because punto banco has no decisions, every hand is a pure function of the cards. That makes it fast to deal and easy to automate in RNG and live games.
Equipment and Deal
- Shoe: 8 decks (416 cards) is standard; some tables use 6.
- Burn: at the start of a shoe, the dealer turns the first card face up and burns (discards) a number of cards equal to its value, with 10s and court cards counting as 10.
- Cut card: placed near the end of the shoe; when it appears, the current hand finishes and one more may be dealt before a reshuffle (house procedures vary).
- Deal order: Player, Banker, Player, Banker. Then third cards by rule: Player first, Banker second.
The Fixed Rules in Brief
- Natural 8 or 9 on either two-card hand: both stand.
- Player draws on 0–5, stands on 6–7.
- Banker, if the Player stood: draws on 0–5, stands on 6–7.
- Banker, if the Player drew: follows the third-card table (draws on 0–2 always, on 3–6 depending on the Player’s third card, stands on 7).
The complete Banker table and worked hands are on our baccarat rules page.
Odds of Each Bet
| Bet | Payout | Win probability (8 decks) | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker | 0.95:1 | 45.86% | 1.06% |
| Player | 1:1 | 44.62% | 1.24% |
| Tie | 8:1 | 9.52% | 14.36% |
Ties push Player and Banker bets. These figures come from an exact enumeration of all deals from a full 8-deck shoe; see baccarat odds and house edge.
Table Sizes: Big Table, Midi and Mini
| Table | Seats | Who handles cards | Typical setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big table baccarat | Up to 14 | Players may handle and squeeze cards; dealers manage the game | High-limit rooms |
| Midi baccarat | About 9 | Usually one player per hand reveals cards | Mid-to-high limits |
| Mini baccarat | 6–7 | Dealer handles all cards | Main floor, lower limits |
| Online RNG | Unlimited | Software | Low minimums |
| Live studio | Unlimited (shared hand) | Dealer | Wide limit range |
All share the same rules and odds. The differences are pace, ritual and limits. The card-bending ritual of big-table play is reproduced online in squeeze baccarat; the fastest format is speed baccarat.
Table Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Coup | One hand (round) of baccarat |
| Natural | A two-card total of 8 or 9 |
| Le grande / la petite | A natural 9 / a natural 8 |
| Baccarat | A total of 0 |
| Shoe | The box holding the decks; also one full deal through the cards |
| Palette | The flat paddle a big-table dealer uses to move cards |
| Commission box | Numbered boxes where owed Banker commission is tracked |
Commission Handling
At a land-based table, the 5% Banker commission is tracked in commission boxes in front of the dealer and collected at the end of the shoe or when you leave. Online, it is deducted from each Banker win: a A$50 Banker win pays A$47.50.
No-commission punto banco removes this deduction but pays only half on Banker wins with a total of 6, raising the Banker edge to 1.46%. EZ Baccarat is a no-commission variant in which a Banker win with a three-card 7 pushes; it adds Dragon 7 and Panda 8 side bets.
Punto Banco in Australia
Punto banco is a long-standing table game in Australian land-based casinos and is common in their high-limit rooms. For online play, offering real-money casino games including baccarat to people in Australia is prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001; Australians who play online do so at offshore sites without Australian licensing. The legal position is summarised on our online gambling legality page, and the differences between venues and websites on online vs land-based gambling.
Practical Tips for Punto Banco
- Bet Banker or Player; Banker has the lower edge after commission.
- Avoid the Tie and pair side bets (Tie 14.36% at 8:1; Pair 10.36%).
- Prefer commission tables over no-commission for Banker bets.
- Ignore scoreboards when deciding bets; they record, not predict.
- Set a stake of 1%–2% of your session budget. Guidance: bankroll management.
Our baccarat strategy page explains these points with numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the most common version of baccarat. When casinos or online sites list “baccarat”, they almost always mean punto banco.
Punto means player and banco means banker. They are the two hands you can bet on.
No. All draws follow fixed rules. Your only decision is which bet to place and how much.
Mini baccarat is punto banco on a smaller table where the dealer handles all cards. The rules and odds are identical.
Usually 8 in casinos and live studios, sometimes 6. The house edge on the main bets changes only in the second decimal place.
18+ only. For confidential help, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.