What is Pontoon?
Pontoon is a British card game closely related to blackjack. The core goal is the same — get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over — but the terminology and some rules differ significantly from standard blackjack.
Key differences from blackjack
In Pontoon, both dealer cards are dealt face down (the dealer never shows an upcard). The best hand is called a ‘pontoon’ (an ace with a 10-value card), which pays 2:1. A ‘five-card trick’ (any five cards totaling 21 or under) also pays 2:1 and beats everything except a pontoon. Players must hit on 14 or less. ‘Twist’ means hit, ‘stick’ means stand, and ‘buy’ means double.
Australian Pontoon
Australian Pontoon is actually a different game more closely related to Spanish 21. The naming overlap causes confusion. The British version described above is the original. If you see Pontoon in an online casino, check the specific rules since the name is applied to both variants depending on the region and software provider.