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Pontoon Review

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INTRODUCTION

Betsoft’s Pontoon is an online blackjack table with a few twists to make it feel fresh! It plays very similarly to standard blackjack, with eight decks total. This is an RNG-powered table, which means the decks are reshuffled virtually after every round. Like always, the developers have spent plenty of time on visual polish. This makes this game fantastic for casual, relaxed play. If you are in a hurry or do not care for the fancy animations, you can speed things up using the control panel.

The RTP for Pontoon is 99.60%, assuming you play it perfectly. There are slight differences in the optimal strategy due to the rule changes of this Betsoft release. The dealer hits on a soft 17 and automatically stops if they have a five-card hand. There is no Insurance bet in this blackjack variant. However, it does have a single side bet, called Sweet 16. You can also play three hands at the same time, not counting splits that allow you to play even more!

pontoon Media Gallery

HOW TO PLAY PONTOON

When the round starts, you will have to select one of the coins from the coin range. You then place these coins on all the hands and side bets you plan to play. If you have played a hand previously, you will be offered to re-bet. Doing so will reapply your old bet, and all you have to do is press the Deal button.

Cards are then dealt: two for every player hand, and two for the dealer. Both dealer’s hands are dealt face-down, meaning you have no idea what the dealer has. You can then choose to Hit, Stand, Split or Double. Standing is only possible if your hand value is fifteen or higher. In addition to that, you will automatically stand if you have a five-card hand. Doubling is available for any two cards, while splitting can only be done with pairs. You can keep hitting after doubling a hand.

Once you finish playing all three hands, the round continues. The dealer will reveal his hand and draw more cards if necessary. If either your or the dealer’s hand goes above 21, then you automatically lose that round. Alternatively, the hand closest to 21 will be the winner under most circumstances. Winning exactly 21 is Pontoon, and always wins unless tied. In addition, a five-card hand that has not busted will also be a stronger win compared to a standard win.

EXTRA FEATURES

Sweet 16 looks at your first two cards to determine if you will earn any points or not. If your hand is worth between 16 to 21 points or if it has one Ace, you will get an even money payout. If you have two Aces in your hand, you get a 2:1 reward! Finally, any pair of 2s to 7s results in a push.

PAYOUTS

Pontoon does not offer any kind of massive wins. The highest possible payout is 2:1, and that can only be won under very specific circumstances. First is by winning Pontoon by forming 21 with your first two cards. The second way you can get a 2:1 prize is by getting a five-card hand that does not bust. Finally, two Aces from a Sweet 16 side bet also grant this win! All other scores in this Betsoft release are worth even money. One more thing to note! If a dealer pushes you, it results in a loss rather than you getting your money back.

what we like

  • Fun Blackjack variant
  • Five-card hands provide a fun change of pace
  • Low house edge

what we don’t like

  • No 3:2 payout for blackjack
  • You lose every dealer push

PONTOON (BETSOFT): CASINOBLOKE’S VERDICT

If you are looking to shake up your blackjack experience, we cannot think of a better title. Pontoon’s subtle rule changes give you new avenues to win while preserving what makes the original so good. It may not be your cup of tea, but only you can decide that. Personally, we think you are going to love it! We know we did.

Pontoon total score:

Total Score Overall
93%

Game developed by:

Release year:2015

Available on:Desktop, Mobile

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