If you are a fan of online casinos you will know that playing online has many advantages. For most people, the biggest advantage is having access to any number of unique and interesting games. These include all types of slots and table games that you would not normally find in a land-based casino. This is how most people find out about pontoon.

For those who have never heard of the game, online pontoon is a slightly different version of blackjack with a few changes in the rules and British terminology. In the notes below we are going to explore the differences between the two games explain how you can get started playing online..

About Online Pontoon

With online pontoon, the basic rules of the game are very similar to blackjack. Players use their cards to get as close to 21 as possible without going over 21. The game begins by a player placing his bet on the table. The player is then dealt two cards. This is where the first difference comes in. With blackjack, the dealer is dealt two cards with one facing up. A player’s blackjack strategy rests mainly on the dealers showing card.

With pontoon, a player never knows what cards the dealer has until the flip. Once the cards are dealt, a player has the option to stand, twist (hit), split or buy (double down). In online pontoon, card suits are irrelevant. Cards 2 to 10 have face value while Jacks, queens and kings are worth 10 points. Aces can have a value of either 1 or 11. If you are happy with your two cards, you can choose to stand and see if the dealer can beat you hand.

Betting in Pontoon

If you feel you have a low scoring hand, you can request an additional card by clicking on the “twist (hit)” button. If your first two cards match, you can choose to split the cards into two separate hands. You can choose to split twice and have up to three hands at one time.

After your first two cards have been dealt, you can also choose to buy (double down) which means your bet will be doubled and an additional card will be dealt. In online pontoon, if the player scores higher than the dealer, the player wins his bet. If the dealer scores higher than the player, the player loses his bet. If the player and dealer tie, the dealer wins the hand. If both the player and the dealer bust, the dealer wins the player’s bet.

Pontoon Rules

With online pontoon, there are a few rules that blackjack players would need to be aware of that are very different from online bingo in Australia. In pontoon, a “five-card trick” is any non-busted hand with five cards. A five-card trick, regardless of its numerical value, beats any hand except a pontoon and pays out 2 to 1. A player must twist on any hand up to 14. The player may also buy or split, but he cannot stick. On any hand of 15 or above, the player has free will to play his hand as he wishes. In pontoon the dealer must twist on any hand up to 16, and must stick on any hand of 17 or more, including soft 17.