Pontoon is a common sight at Vegas-style casino venues. For many players, it’s a welcome sight as they generally enjoy this simple card game. Others are not very familiar with the concept of pontoon, thinking it’s a relative of poker or something like that. Instead, pontoon is so close to blackjack that it’s not unheard of to see them mixed up or confused for each other. However, despite their many similarities, the two games are quite not the same. Hence, we’ve decided to give you a rundown of the main differences between pontoon and blackjack.
Pontoon uses a much simpler structure than its blackjack counterpart. The rules are quite similar, as well as the goal – beat the banker by landing a hand total of 21 or closest to (but not go above). However, the round is fast-paced, with players taking little to no time to decide on their next move.
When they decide what they want to do, they need only click a button and that’s it. Moreover, the game is more limited than blackjack as it supports 2-4 players at the table (a maximum is 8). In each round, players bet against the banker, which in home editions can be one of the players, while in the dealer always assumes that role in casino settings. Additionally, pontoon has a lower house advantage than even roulette.
We are used to seeing Blackjack pays on every blackjack table we visit. However, in pontoon you won’t see that but rather Pontoon. Yes, both game variants have the best hand total which is 21 in both cases. And in both cases, scoring this hand means you automatically win against the banker. But the only difference is that they are called different.
Another example is the Hit, Stand, and Double actions. In Pontoon, they are called a bit different – Twist is the equivalent to Hit, while Stick replaces Stand. Finally, Buy is the Double action wherein you double the bet and receive extra cards. Lastly, Split is used in both games.
Both games originate from Europe, but the countries of origin are different. However, perhaps the more important factor on their growth over the years had the country in which they reached initial stardom.
Namely, Pontoon was ‘supposedly’ invented in Spain. It’s very similar to the Spanish Ventiuna. It is believed that it was brought from Spain to France, Germany, and ultimately the UK somewhere during the 18th century. There it became almost a household name, with many people choosing it as a family game.
Blackjack, on the other hand, originates from France. It was brought to the USA, where its path took a whole new level in terms of development of popularity.
Pontoon did ultimately reach the US market, but it never exploded the way blackjack did.
One difference that might seem small but can ultimately affect the entire flow of the game is the number of decks used. The shoe in blackjack is almost always more than one decks. On the other hand, pontoon mostly uses a single deck of cards without the Jokers.
Sure, you have a single-deck and double-deck blackjack tables and they are exceptionally fun. Although not many online casinos offer these variants, Vegas venues and other popular brick-and-mortar venues do have these tables.
However, if you want to play a game with one deck, pontoon is a better choice as it’s easier. On the other hand, if you want to play blackjack and try your hand at more complex games, be sure to pick out a good blackjack table.
Last but not least, we have the question of popularity. This might not sound like a deciding factor, but it often ends up being as casino players decide on accessibility rather than playability. What good does it bring you that pontoon is easier to play when you cannot find it anywhere near you?
Because yes, dear players, the truth is that blackjack is way more popular than pontoon. As a result, it can be found at more online and land-based casinos worldwide. Sure, many casinos in the UK and the USA offer pontoon, but a far bigger number of sites delves into blackjack gambling – with dozens of tables no less.
Therefore, our advice is to pick a casino that offers both, if you can, and then try and compare the two. If your favorite online casino does not offer one, be sure to check out our casino recommendations to find other reliable venues offering games you’d want to play.
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