Rules of the Pontoon
As this is a variation of a blackjack rules are mostly the same. Although if you get 21 points with the first 2 cards it won`t be called Blackjack but Pontoon, hence the name of the game.
This is a multi-hand version, so you can play with 3 separate hands. With all of them, you`ll be playing against a dealer. There are 8 decks of cards in the game.
The main point is to collect 21 points or as closer to them as possible, but without exceeding this number or your hand will be considered busted.
Here are some additional rules that make this game from BetSoft a little different from the usual blackjack:
- The player has to stand at least on 15 points or at 5 cards on the hand.
- You can press hit at any point of the game, even if you already doubled the stakes.
- Doubling is allowed if you have from 2 to 4 cards on the hand. But you can do it only once per hand and only once after splitting.
- Resplits aren`t allowed in this version.
- If you get 21 points with 2 cards after splitting it still counts as blackjack.
And one of the things that we should mention is a side game called Sweet 16. You can see circles next to the main bets fields, those are places to put these additional bets. Here you will be betting on the number of points that you`ll get with the first 2 cards. To win you have to get 16 points or more or at least one ace. Otherwise, it will be counted as push.
Advantages and special features
In this version of the game cards and combinations have certain ranks that will be counted to determine the winner.
- Pontoon (or blackjack) is the highest. Pay off with a 2:1 ratio.
- 5 card hand. Pays off with a 2:1 ratio as well.
- A hand with 4 or fewer cards. The ratio is 1:1.
- A busted hand doesn`t pay off.
In case of a tie dealer always wins, so this may be considered a con. But other rules that expand players’ possibilities make up for that.
The thing that adds a bit to the players` chances is that the dealer has to hit at least soft 17 or get 5 cards. So there`s a fair chance that he`ll get busted.
Another thing that is great with BetSoft`s card games is that almost all of them are available in demo mode. If you don`t want to risk any money or just want to get a hang of the rules before making real bets you can try it out for free. This game is available on the BetSoft official website or you can look it up in your favorite casino. Demo mode should also be available there. It doesn`t require a registration or a verification of the account.
