Table Game

Ponto e Banca, also known as Macau, is the baccarat variant (punto banco) played in Portuguese casinos. The aim: bet on which hand finishes closer to 9 — Ponto (Player), Banca (Banker) or Tie. Restricted to over-18s.

How do you play Ponto e Banca / Macau?

1. Exchange cash for chips at the table or at the casino cash desk.

2. Before the croupier closes the betting, place your chips on one of the three betting areas: Ponto (the Player hand), Banca (the Banker hand) or Tie.

3. The croupier draws the cards from the shoe and deals two cards to the Ponto hand and two to the Banca hand.

4. Add up each hand: an Ace counts as 1, cards 2 to 9 count at face value, and 10s and picture cards (Jack, Queen, King) count as 0. Only the last digit of the total counts — for example, 7+8=15 is worth 5.

5. If either Ponto or Banca totals 8 or 9 with the first two cards (a "natural"), the round ends immediately: neither hand receives another card.

6. If there is no natural, Ponto automatically receives a third card on a total of 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7.

7. Banca then does or does not receive a third card according to the fixed table below, which depends on Banca's total and on Ponto's third card. Neither the player nor the croupier makes any decision: every additional card follows fixed, automatic rules (the "tableau").

8. The hand closest to 9 wins. The croupier pays the winning bets and collects the losing ones. If both hands finish on the same total, the Tie bets win.