Punto Banco is the variant of baccarat most players actually play, even though they simply call it
baccarat. Its practical meaning for a player comes down to two things. First: since there are no
decisions, you cannot play "well" or "badly" — the house edge is determined entirely by which bet you
choose. That makes baccarat one of the few games whose strategy fits in a single sentence.
Second: the difference between the three bets is large and one-directional. The banker bet is
mathematically best even after the commission is deducted, the player bet is slightly worse, and the
tie bet is several times worse. Systems, pattern-tracking and scorecards change none of those numbers,
because each deal is independent of the last.
Anyone wanting to play baccarat with a casino bonus should check the game weighting: table games often
contribute 10% or 0% towards wagering, which makes most bonuses useless to a baccarat player.