Pontoon Blackjack

Pontoon Blackjack is a blackjack variation originated in Britain and quickly gaining in popularity. Most online casinos now offer this variation, and if you already know how to play regular blackjack, learning pontoon blackjack should be quite easy for you!

Let's have a look at some of the main differences between Pontoon blackjack and regular blackjack. First, let's look at the basic terminology. In Pontoon, if you want another card, it is called a "twist", which is the equivalent of a hit. If you want to stand, you "stick". If you get 21, you get "Pontoon" and not blackjack.

Another difference is that Pontoon is played with 8 decks of cards. This obviously means that you will be able to get more card combinations and it also means that counting cards is rendered rather ineffective.

In regular blackjack, the dealer deals the cards to all the players, and the hand he deals himself has one down card and one up card. In Pontoon, though, both of the dealer's cards are dealt face down. This adds to the excitement, but also makes it a little more difficult for you to make the correct decision on whether to stick or twist.

There are a few other variations after the cards are dealt. You can split any hand that has a value of less than 10. Unlike other forms of blackjack, the cards don't have to have the same value. If you split your hand and get pontoon, your payout is doubled. If you have an ace in your hand and you decide to split, you only get one more card dealt to you, similar to if you were doubling down.

When you tie in a normal blackjack game, you get your bet back. If you tie in Pontoon, the dealer automatically wins the hand. If you are dealt 5 cards and have still not achieved a total of 21, you will get a 2:1 payout. Lastly, you can surrender your hand in Pontoon at specific times.

Pontoon is a very fun variation to play. It is a little more difficult due to the fact that the dealer's cards are face down, and also due to the large number of decks in the shoe, which deems card counting useless. If you develop a system and stick to it, you can win quite a bit of money playing Pontoon. Head over to the tables and start playing today!


More Blackjack Variations:
Progressive Blackjack
Las Vegas Strip Blackjack
Super Fun 21 Blackjack