If you want to join a Punto Banco game in Panama, there are a few things you must do. First, you must decide who you are betting on. You can either bet on the player (“punto”) or the banker (“banca”). The banker has the edge in the game, but the player has the chance to win if they draw a winning hand. Once you have decided who you are betting on, you must make a bet before any cards are dealt.
The dealer then will hand out two cards to the banker and the player. The values of the cards are determined by their numeric value. The ace is worth one point, the face cards (King, Queen, Jack) have a value of zero points, and all the other cards are worth their numerical value.
The dealer will then examine each player’s total score. If the total is 8 or 9 points, it is a “natural” and the player is declared the winner. If the total is 6 or 7 points, however, the player must stand and the game must end.
Finally, if the total is 0-5 points, the player must decide if they want to draw a third card. The same determination must also be made by the banker, depending on the player’s third card. After all the cards are dealt, the side with the highest total wins the game.