Pontoon Game BetSoft

Pontoon is a thoroughly exciting variant of Blackjack and some might find it even more appealing than the classic game. There are few variations of online Pontoon game, but here we will focus on the one developed by BetSoft. Betsoft’s take on Pontoon serves up some unexpected surprises. Played with eight decks of cards like many other similar games, it comes with an unusual Sweet 16 side bet that awards payouts up to 2 to 1 based on player’s first two cards.

Betsoft Pontoon is a multi-hand game, supporting up to three hands per round, where players can stake between $1 and $100 per single betting position, or up to $600 in total per round if we also count the side bets. Pontoon and five card trick both pay 2:1, but read on if you want to learn more about this exciting game.

*If you were looking for Australian Pontoon, please note that online it can be found under is US name, Spanish 21.

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Pontoon Game Rules

Rather than using terms like twist, stick or buy, which are the common British Pontoon terms, Betsoft, similar to RTG,  has stayed true to the original Blackjack terms, with Double, Split, Stand and Hit buttons located in the bottom panel, and five chip sizes found in the bottom right hand corner.

A hand consisting of an Ace and any ten-value card is Pontoon and it is the game’s strongest hand, followed by five-card hand that has not busted – both pay 2:1. Pontoon also counts after splitting.

  • Unlike in classic blackjack, in Pontoon the dealer is given two cards both face down and he only starts his hand after the player has finished.
  • If the dealer has Pontoon the hand ends (before player’s actions).
  • The dealer must hit soft 17.
  • The player, on the other hand, must hit when his total is 14 or less.
  • Double down option can be performed on 2-4 cards and any hand value, but only once per hand. You can Hit after double.
  • Split hands cannot be re-split. Player can hit a split hand.
  • Dealer wins all ties.

Sweet 16 Side Bet Payouts

This is the only Pontoon card game that offers side bets. As usual with side bets, the house edge here is much higher than in the regular game. Without the side bet your winnings odds are 99.62%, while the Sweet 16 odds are 97.48%.  Therefore, we wouldn’t recommended using the option all the time, but just when you wish to spice up the game or just feeling lucky.

The payouts are as follows:

  • 16-21 pay 1:1
  • One Ace: 1:1
  • Two Aces: 2:1
  • Pairs of 2s – 7s: Push

Limits & User Interface

Pontoon Betsoft features solid bet limits considering that betting starts at $1 per hand and $100 is the maximum bet. High stakes players can find it a bit below par, but that’s common online limits. Since said limit applies to each standard and also side bet, you are able to stake up to $600 per single round. The user interface is lightning fast and comes equipped with a number of useful options that should further improve your gaming experience.

P.S. You can also try our RTG free pontoon.