Pontoon is an Australian card game that is similar to Blackjack. The game of Pontoon is growing increasingly popular in the online casino gambling websites because of the additional strategic maneuvers that can occur, and because there is an opportunity to win a Super Bonus of $5000.

Pontoon—The Australian Version of the Table Game of “21”

The game of Pontoon is extremely popular in “The Land Down Under.” Australia, famous for koalas, kangaroos, and Olivia Newton-John as well, has developed an intriguing card game that has created excitement in online casino gambling websites throughout the Internet. The game is quite similar to the popular game of Blackjack, also known as “21.” Blackjack has been a staple of the casino parlor for years, and Pontoon is catching on with the gambling public.

Rules of the Game

The game of Pontoon is based on the basic precepts of Blackjack. The game is won by players if the total of the cards in their hand exceeds that of the dealer getting as close to the numerical value of “21” as possible without going over that total. Picture cards have a numerical value of 10, and all other cards have face value. An Ace can count as either a 1 or an 11.

Each player is dealt two cards. If a player receives an Ace and a pictures card on the first two cards, then you have “Pontoon.” The dealer can not beat this hand, and the payoff at the online casino is 3 to 2. If a player does not have Pontoon, then the game proceeds along in the same way that Blackjack does. Players try to get as close to “21” without going over that total. There are, however, some subtle variations in the game from this point on that makes Pontoon separate and distinct from the game of Blackjack.

Pontoon’s Variation

There are rules indigenous to the game of Pontoon that you need to be aware of that add strategy and maneuverability to aspects of the card game, and thus heighten the excitement and challenge.

1.Surrender—after you have been dealt your first two cards, if the dealer has a Jack or higher, you may choose to surrender half your original bet, and you will receive no additional cards. In this manner, you’ll cut your potential losses in half.

2.Doubling—you may choose to double your original bet after receiving your first two cards. In this case, you will be dealt only one additional card.

3.Splitting Pairs—you may turn a hand that consists of two cards on the same face value into two hands. Both hands will be played as usual from that point on.

4.Super Bonus—If a player totals 21 with three cards of face value of 7, then there is a Super Bonus. In this instance, the player with the hand of three 7’s wins $ 1000 if the original bet was between $5 and $24; the player wins $5000 if the bet was $25 or larger. All other players at the table receive a bonus of $50.

Pontoon is growing in popularity around the world because of the additional strategies involved, and because of the opportunity to win the Super Bonus.