Description
Pontoon is the well-liked, classic variant of blackjack, often called British blackjack, with its history going back hundreds of years.
In Pontoon Pro from leading Swedish developer NetEnt, one of its series of Professional games, the aim is to achieve a total number from your cards that’s 21 or as close as possible. If you exceed that, it’s a ‘bust’ or a losing hand.
The layout of the table will be familiar if you already play NetEnt’s blackjack game. A piano track (which you can silence if you prefer) can be heard in the background.
How to play
There’s nothing too complicated about playing pontoon. You’ll be up against the dealer, with the aim, as mentioned, of getting a hand that’s closer to 21 than theirs.
A stack of cards is shown across the top of the screen to the right, and these are the cards still to be dealt. You’ll also see the dealer’s chips, and the maximum and minimum payouts, plus the cards which have already been played.
Place a bet on Pontoon Pro
Place your initial bet, wagering on between one and three of the available boxes. This decides the number of hands you’ll be dealt for that round. Next hit the Deal button at the bottom of the table.
Two cards are dealt above each of the boxes on which you’ve placed wagers, facing upwards. The dealer then gets a couple of cards which face downwards. If the dealer has a picture card and an Ace (i.e. a pontoon), they’re automatically the winner.
If not, play continues, and you will need to decide on the hands you receive.
If you need more cards to be dealt on a hand, choose Twist. If you think you’re close enough to your target, select Stick.
If two cards of the same value are dealt to you, choose to Split to separate them and start two fresh wager hands.
Equally, should you have what you believe to be a particularly good hand, you can double your stake with the Buy button to receive one more card.
Once the hand stands, the result reveals whether you or the dealer has won.
There are a couple of further rules, including one saying the dealer must Twist on a total sum of 16 or soft 17.
Payouts
Payouts are at 2/1 if you achieve a pontoon, or a five-card trick, which means getting a total of 21 from five cards. If you win by beating the dealer’s hand, or because the dealer goes bust, payout is at 1/1.
Stick to the same bet with each hand, or use the three coloured chips in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen to adjust your wager ahead of every deal. There’s a yellow €10, a red €5 and a blue €1.
Use the grey chip with the red ‘x’ in the middle to cancel any bets made.
Bet limits
Bet limits in this game range from €1 to €100.
Settings
Special features
Bonus rounds
There are no bonus rounds or progressive jackpots in Pontoon Pro.
Return to Player (RTP)
At a theoretical 99.59%, this is certainly a healthy RTP.
Verdict
We reckon you’ll love the graphics, which are detailed without being distracting, and this excellent presentation is what players have come to expect from NetEnt.
Give Pontoon Pro a go – and let us know what you think!
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