The best bets in Punto Banco

For a game so steeped in an aura of glamour and mystery, the odds against you in Punto Banco / Baccarat are really simple to understand.

Unlike games such as Roulette, Blackjack, Sic Bo etc, there are only three bets and three results - so only three probabilities, three payouts and therefore three house edges for you to be concerned with when looking for a winning Baccarat strategy.

If you're not familiar with the game, check out our guide to Baccarat.

Chance of winning

The first thing to look at when understanding Punto Banco / Baccarat is the probability of each bet coming up (remember, a probability of 0 means it's impossible, 1 means that it's 100% likely.)

What you'll notice from the table above is that the Banker bet has a slightly higher probability than the Player - in other words, Punto Banco / Baccarat is NOT an even-chance game.

Punto Banco payouts

If we now look at the payouts for each of these bets, we'll get an idea of where the casino makes its money!

You can see that the Banker bet - the one most likely to win - pays out less than the Player bet.

This is because the payout on Banker includes the deduction of the vigorish - the 0.5% commission the house takes when this bet wins. The vigorish is what prevents the banker bet being more than a 50% chance and is where the house finds its edge.

Punto Banco / Baccarat with NO house edge

Betfair Casino's Zero Lounge offers a Baccarat where the commission is only 2.75%, resulting in a house edge of 0 and a payout of 100% - the highest casino payout anywhere.

With no house edge, Zero Lounge Baccarat has the best casino odds of any game, but getting this payout requires what Betfair call an optimal player strategy. We've analysed the game and come up with exactly that.

Check out our optimal Zero Lounge Baccarat strategy.

The best online Punto Banco / Baccarat casinos

Punto Banco / Baccarat is the kind of game that attracts high-rolling players, so Table limits (ie maximum and minimum bets) are a big factor when ranking our casinos.

Not all casinos offer Punto Banco / Baccarat bonuses, though some are quite generous, with decent wagering requirements.

Our rankings are therefore based on variety, game experience and Table limits. Our top 3 recommendations are given below.

For a full list of Punto Banco / Baccarat casinos, check out our best online casinos for Punto Banco / Baccarat page.

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  Punto Banco / Baccarat where the casino has NO advantage!

  
  

  Betfair Casino has two fantastic versions of Punto Banco / Baccarat for you to play:
  
  1. Betfair's Zero Lounge Baccarat offers a Baccarat with no house edge. The commission is 2.75% instead of the standard 5% and the expected payout to players is 100%!
  
  2. The other Baccarat unique to Betfair is their Exchange Baccarat. Whereas in normal Baccarat you have to place your bets before the game starts, Betfair Exchange Baccarat allows you to watch a game of Baccarat and bet as things change!
  
  And if all that wasn't enough, Betfair are also offering all new Fortune Palace customers an EXCLUSIVE welcome bonus of £300 - and Punto Banco / Baccarat is eligible to play!

  
  

  Check out all these Punto Banco / Baccarat games at Betfair casino

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  Online Punto Banco AND Baccarat

  
  

  bgo is unique in offering both Punto Banco AND Baccarat. Whereas most casinos don't make the distinction between the two games, bgo understand the subtle differences and cater for players of both games.

  
  

  They also allow high rollers to place bets up to 1,000 - second only to Betfair. Once again, bgo comes highly commended.

  
  

  Play Punto Banco / Baccarat now at bgo.

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  The easiest way to play Punto Banco / Baccarat

  
  

  Ruby Fortune offers a very enjoyable version of Baccarat which is ideal for both beginners and experienced players. Expert mode offers more control to the player - you can peek at face-down cards and customize the game to auto-play a number of hands.

  
  

  And Ruby Fortune also offers High Limit Baccarat, with extended table limits. Although Baccarat is not eligible for the sign-up bonus of £750; for new players, Ruby Fortune is still an attractive place to play.

  
  

  Play Baccarat at Ruby Fortune.