Best Pontoon casinos 2024
Online casino Pontoon is hugely popular with Canadians who enjoy blackjack. Like the British version of online blackjack, the aim of Pontoon is to get as close to 21 as possible without going bust. But the rules can vary at each online casino, so it's important to check out the house rules, especially when playing for real money.
Top Pontoon online casinos in Canada
- 1JackpotCity CasinoRead reviewWelcome offer
$1,800 + 300 free chances to win $1,000,000
Games: 700+
Win Rate: 98.21%
Payout Speed: 1-3 days
- 2Spin CasinoRead reviewWelcome offer
150 bonus spins + $1,000 match bonus
Games: 800+
Win Rate: 98.46%
Payout Speed: 1-7 days
- 3JustCasinoRead reviewWelcome offer
100% up to $5,000 + 400 free spins
Games: 4,950
Win Rate: 98.67%
Payout Speed: 0-1 days
- 6LuckyWinsRead reviewWelcome offer
Up to $8,000 + 500 free spins
Games: 4,000+
Win Rate: 98.35%
Payout Speed: 1-2 days
- 8MonroRead reviewWelcome offer
150% up to $600
Games: 7,000+
Win Rate: 97.46%
Payout Speed: 1-2 days
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How to play Pontoon
As noted, when you play online casino Pontoon, you'll find that it is much the same as blackjack or 21. Pontoon can be played with one standard deck of cards. However, with many versions of online casino Pontoon, anywhere from two to eight decks of cards are used. In any case, each deck consists of 52 standard playing cards.
At an online Pontoon casino, player cards are dealt face up, while, unlike blackjack, both dealer cards are facedown. When you get an ace in a pre-double hand, it does not count as 1 or 11, as it would in blackjack; instead, it counts as 1. If the dealer gets a natural Pontoon, which is an ace and any card worth 10 points, then they automatically win the hand.
The player may hit (twist) at any point, including after doubling their bet (buy), or they may stand (stick). With online casino Pontoon, players are allowed to double on 2 to 4 cards, but they may only do so once per hand. Doubling may also occur after splitting, but only once per hand.
When a player has two cards of equal rank, they may split. They may also resplit once, including if they have aces. All split hands receive one additional card automatically. If you split aces, you will only receive one added card on each ace.
The player may split any two cards of equal rank. They may resplit once up to a total of three hands, including aces.
With online casino Pontoon, players may stand on any hand where points total 15 or more or any five-card hand that does not total over 21 points. The dealer must hit on a soft 17, but they must stand on a hard 17 or any hand above 17 points.
Once all hands are dealt, they are compared. If a player has 21, is closer to 21 than the dealer, or the dealer has gone bust, the player wins. If they and the dealer tie, then it's a push, and all bets are returned. With online casino Pontoon, if a player has less than the dealer or the dealer has a Pontoon, the player loses.
Winning at Pontoon
As it is with blackjack, winning at Pontoon involves utilizing strategy. However, online casino Pontoon is a little tough to win with due to the fact that neither of the dealer's cards is exposed. Sometimes when playing casino Pontoon online, a player may take risks they might not normally take if they had been able to see one of the dealer's cards.
Strategy for online casino Pontoon varies depending upon which software company created the game. When playing at a Pontoon online casino, you'll find that your game has been developed and manufactured by one of the following, Real Time Gaming, Playtech, Microgaming, Betsoft, Galewind Software, or Cryptologic. One important strategy tip concerning all versions of Pontoon is that players should always split eights.
Winning Pontoon hands are normally paid at a rate of 1:1. However, when you hit Pontoon or win with a five-card hand, you're paid 2:1.
Once you start to understand the finer points of Pontoon, which is offered by many of the top online casinos in CA, you'll be able to turn those online casino bonuses into real cash.
The risk and house edge of Pontoon
The house edge and risk factors will vary for this card game depending on what version of online casino Pontoon you play. One Pontoon online casino may offer a house edge of 0.38%, while another maybe 0.39%. There are various rules that will alter the house edge and either increase or decrease your risk.
If, after splitting, you get an ace and 10, this is not considered a Pontoon. That fact increases the house edge by 0.49%. The house edge also goes up by 0.49% if you are playing a version where there is no draw to split aces, meaning you only get one additional card per ace and no more. Either of these two situations makes the edge approximately 0.66%. With these rules in effect, you should hit on a soft 12.
If the dealer must stand on a soft 17, the house edge is lowered by 0.47% to 0.30%. Also, playing with two decks rather than eight will increase the house edge by 0.35% to 0.51%.
Get the best welcome bonuses for playing online Pontoon
If you want to play at a top Canadian Pontoon online casino, make sure that you review our list of fantastic sites. Along with being able to enjoy this online blackjack variant, you'll receive a generous welcome bonus that you can use to win real money. Playing Pontoon online is a lot of fun, and when you go on a winning streak, it can be extremely exciting. We have the best welcome bonuses for your favourite Pontoon online casino.
Enjoy Pontoon at a top Canadian online casino
Online casino Pontoon has become very popular at many Canadian sites. Because it is based on blackjack, a game that most people are already familiar with, players tend to find it fairly easy to understand. Once you know the house rules for the version of online casino Pontoon you're playing, you'll be able to make smart real money decisions and, perhaps, win big.
Play more than just Pontoon and view our complete selection of online casino games and card games.
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Blacklisted Canadian casinos
To ensure you have a good experience playing Pontoon, you should look out for the trusted sites that have the correct certification and regulation in place, as recommended here. You should also know how to spot those rogue casinos that make the blacklists for poor business practices and terrible treatment of players.
Pontoon FAQs
Pontoon is a British version of blackjack. It follows many of the same rules, however, there are some important differences between Pontoon and 21.
Pontoon is played between the player and dealer. It involves using anywhere from one to eight decks of standard playing cards.
Yes, players in Canada can play at a Pontoon online casino for real money.
Please see our list of online casinos on this page. Each casino, which has been evaluated by our casino experts, offers at least one version of Pontoon, as well as other types of blackjack games.
Pontoon pays 1:1 for wins, except when the player wins with a Pontoon (ace and any card worth 10) or a five-card hand. In those two cases, a player is paid 2:1. How much you can win depends upon the amount that you wager and the maximum bet allowed at your table.
There are certain strategies that you can use to increase your winnings. These include always splitting eights, as doing so offers very good odds in terms of winning both hands. Doubling a bet when you are dealt a solid hand will also help. In addition, recognizing when winning streaks are occurring and when they are starting to wind down will help.
Pontoon offers some challenges that some other blackjack variants do not. Specifically, players who are used to playing blackjack where one of the dealer's cards is exposed will find that not having any knowledge of the dealer's hand may make some of their decisions to double, hit, or stand more difficult.
Yes, just about every site that offers online casino Pontoon allows gamblers the opportunity to play for free. This is always a good idea for numerous reasons. Doing so allows you to make decisions in real-game situations and to then see the result of those decisions. Also, enjoying Pontoon in free play mode gives players insights into how the software performs and how specific house rules influence outcomes.