When you log-on to any online casino, what you are going to be faced with is a wealth of choice. This is because the game options come thick and fast these days, with more options being promoted than ever before. While there is little point in arguing against the fact that it’s the modern games that seem to command the most attention, the classics of the scene can still more than hold their own. Looking at table games specifically, there is an unheralded game that many players needlessly overlook, with that game being pontoon.

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History Of Pontoon

Pontoon emerged as a variant of vingt-et-un, a leading French card game that appeared during the era of Louis XV. In fact, the game became a personal favourite of both St Helena and Napoleon if historical reports are to be believed. During the 20^th century the card game pontoon or 21 became popular amongst armed forces of English-speaking nations, thus subsequently spread throughout the world. Across the following (and through the following top 3 casinos that we highly recommend), we’ve delved into pontoon card game online, breaking down all that it has to offer and how you can make the most of it.

Play For Money

Like a lot of online casino games, players can play free versions of pontoon card game online if they want. Whether it is via an online casino or social media, these free games certainly carry appeal, but in our opinion they can’t compare to the experience of wagering real money. When you bet real money within a game of pontoon, what you are doing is taking the financial chance in the hopes of winning big. If you are asking us if you should play the card game pontoon or 21 for real money, the answer to that question is unequivocally yes. If you want to grasp a further understanding pontoon card game online, you can play it free and get a taste of what it has to offer below.

Pontoon Table Layout

When it comes to the table layout, pontoon doesn’t do anything different from blackjack. So, if you have played blackjack before you’ll have no issue getting around the felt top of this game. Using white lines, you’ll see your bet position highlighted on the table, while all cards are dealt in front of you. Overall, with pontoon there is very little about the table layout that players will need to adjust to.

Read About The Rules

Before we even address the ins and outs of this table game, we have to first state that this game is not blackjack, despite how often you see pontoon and blackjack mentioned in the same breath. It infuriates us that we still see casino sites and even experienced players stating that pontoon is “pretty much blackjack”. Yes, there are some similarities, but to say that they are the same game or that pontoon is even blackjack UK would certainly be wide of the mark. “Variant” could be a fair choice of words, but there are certainly some distinct differences between the two games. For starters, within pontoon card game online, it’s possible to secure a win with a five-card trick, something that can’t be done in blackjack. Adding to that, players can buy a card at any time in pontoon, in blackjack a player can only ‘Double Down’ or buy a card after 2 cards, and they can’t ‘hit’ again after taking this action. Another major difference, the banker’s cards are shown face up in blackjack, but in pontoon both banker cards are face down, with this certainly having the power to impact players’ decision making. There are other differences between the two games, but these are by far the most prominent. As far as table play goes, you’ll find pontoon card game online to be one of the easiest to grasp online casino games around. The goal here is to have a better hand than the dealer. The game begins when the bet amounts are finalised, which comes after the first card has been dealt, with the second card following suit. If the banker’s hand contains pontoon, he must reveal it and the game concludes. If the dealer doesn’t have this hand, the game continues, with the player either revealing pontoon or continuing to collect cards. Following each card, the player can choose to announce pontoon, split cards as means to create independent hands, buy a card as a means to increase the stake, twist to gain another card, or stick to stand by the hand. As mentioned earlier, four card and five card tricks can affect the level of payouts here. From that, what you can take away is that the game is a race to 21 or bust in a sense. As you can see, when it comes to pontoon card game rules, betting, and so forth, you certainly don’t need to be a rocket scientist to experience all that pontoon has to offer that’s sure. In many ways, pontoon actually represents the perfect introductory game for those new to online casino play.

Online Or Live?

The backbone and foundation of pontoon is found within the land-based casinos of the world. Especially popular in Las Vegas and London, the game has the “snap” at the tables that most players are looking for. Game rounds can be particularly fast-paced, while if players want a solitary and isolated experience, live pontoon could certainly deliver that. However, the downside of live pontoon is that – if you aren’t located in one of the gambling meccas of the world – accessibility is likely to be a real issue. This is one area where online pontoon is able to leave the land-based variation in the dust. During the early 2000s, pontoon was given a digital overhaul and was subsequently adopted by the large percentage of online casinos of the time. Nowadays, what you’ll find is that the game is carried everywhere, to the point where if you enjoy playing pontoon or blackjack online, you’ll never be left wanting for places to play. Another upside of pontoon card game online is the level of action you can choose to get involved in. While at live pontoon establishments you are fairly limited when it comes to stakes and bets, online you play for hundreds per hand or pennies if so wish, as you are simply limited by the level of bankroll to your name. Overall, online pontoon takes the original live game kicks things up a couple of notches, with the level of excitement almost unmatched.

What’s Your Strategy?

The house edge for pontoon card game online (or a card game like pontoon) is just 0.38%, which means that with the right approach it can prove to be extremely possible. Learning how to start playing the game can be done in mere minutes, but maximizing the potential of this game comes down to the sheer mathematics and not so much dedicated pontoon card game strategy. It’s all about the numbers here, so if you can stick to a set of hard and fast mathematical pontoon card game rules you are likely to find success. Understanding what’s what isn’t too difficult either, as there are plenty of tables and charts around that offer up such information. Looking at the mathematical pontoon card game rules you’ll need to adhere to, the finest example is that if you have Ace, 10 within 3 a card hard you should stand. If we’re being honest the lack of pontoon card game strategy per se is probably what makes this game such a longstanding favourite amongst novice online casino players.

Pontoon Conclusion

While there are many names for pontoon card game, whatever form you play you be assured of quite the table game experience. Built upon a foundation of simple and slick play, when you step up to play to pontoon you’ll quickly discover that this game is so much more than just a “blackjack variant” that it is so commonly advertised as.