Table game at Fair Go

Pontoon at Fair Go Casino: rules and strategy

Pontoon is blackjack's British cousin, and Fair Go lists it alongside its blackjack tables. The goal is the same, but the language, the payouts and one big tie rule are different. Here's how pontoon plays, how it differs from the pontoon you might know from Australian casinos, and what to check in Fair Go's game before you bet.

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Pontoon at a glance

Check in-game

Aim: Beat the dealer without going over 21
Top hand: Pontoon: an ace plus a ten-value card
Next best: Five card trick: five cards, 21 or under
Ties: Traditionally go to the dealer
Dealer's cards: Traditionally both face down
Your moves: Twist, stick, buy, split
Fair Go's payouts and RTP: Not published

These are pontoon's traditional rules. Online versions change payouts, doubling and the tie rule, so Fair Go's in-game help is the final word.

Source: Fair Go casino games page. Checked 7 October 2026.

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What pontoon is, and which pontoon this is

"Pontoon" means three different games depending on where you learnt it, and it's worth knowing which one you're sitting down to.

The British card game. The original: a home and pub game where both dealer cards stay hidden, you "twist" and "stick", and a five-card hand under 21 beats almost everything.
Australian casino pontoon. In Australian land-based casinos, pontoon usually means a Spanish 21-style game dealt from decks with the tens removed, with bonus payouts on certain 21s. It's a different game from the British one.
Online pontoon. Software versions usually follow the British structure with their own payouts and doubling rules.

Fair Go lists Pontoon among its blackjack games on its casino games page (checked 7 October 2026) but doesn't publish the rules. Open the help screen before your first hand. It tells you which structure you're playing, what pontoon and the five card trick pay, and who wins a tie.

How to play pontoon at Fair Go

Pontoon has its own vocabulary. The moves match blackjack's, with different names and a few different limits.

Bet and deal. You and the dealer get two cards each. In the traditional game both dealer cards are face down, so you play without the up-card clue blackjack gives you.
Twist to take another card, the same as hitting. In traditional rules you must twist on 14 or less.
Stick to keep your total, which needs to be 15 or more under those rules.
Buy to add to your stake and take another card. It works like a double down, though traditional rules let you keep buying cards where blackjack gives you only one.
Split a pair into two hands with a second bet, as in blackjack.
The dealer reveals and plays, then hands are compared. Go over 21 and you're bust, whatever the dealer does next.

Pontoon hand rankings and payouts

Pontoon ranks hands rather than just comparing totals. From best to worst under traditional rules:

Pontoon (ace + ten-value card, 2 cards)Traditionally 2:1
Five card trick (5 cards, 21 or under)Traditionally 2:1
21 with three or four cards1:1
Any other total, higher beats lower1:1

The five card trick is the twist that makes pontoon feel different. A five-card 16 beats a dealer's three-card 21. Online versions don't all pay these hands the same way, and some pay pontoon at 3:2 like blackjack, so the pay table in the game matters more than any general guide, including this one.

Pontoon strategy compared with blackjack

Blackjack basic strategy is the best starting point, but three pontoon rules pull it in different directions.

Ties go to the dealer. In blackjack about one hand in twelve ends in a push. Handing those to the house is costly, so standing on a borderline total is worth less, and the bonus payouts exist to balance it out.
No up-card. With both dealer cards hidden, you can't adjust to a weak dealer card the way blackjack strategy does. Your decisions rest more on your own total.
The five card trick. With four cards and a low total, a fifth card that keeps you at 21 or under pays a premium in traditional rules. That can make twisting right on totals you'd stand on in blackjack.

The exact mix depends on Fair Go's payouts and tie rule, which it doesn't publish. If the game pays pontoon and the five card trick at 2:1 and gives ties to the dealer, it plays like the traditional game. If it pays blackjack-style 3:2 and treats ties as pushes, play it much like blackjack and use a standard chart. The other card games in Fair Go's lobby are on our table games page.

Pontoon, bonuses and your budget

Any bet you place while clearing Fair Go's welcome bonus is capped at $10, and buying cards raises your stake mid-hand, so start low enough that a buy can't push you past the cap. Fair Go's terms decide how much table-game play counts towards the 30x wagering, and that weighting isn't in our facts register, so read the bonus terms before you use bonus money here.

Pontoon is quick, and a run of dealer wins on ties can feel unfair even when it's simply the rules working as designed. Set a loss limit before you start and stop when you reach it. Our responsible gambling page lists free, confidential support if it stops being fun.

Tables that pair well with pontoon

Classic Blackjack is pontoon with the dealer's up-card showing. For something completely different, try Vegas Three Card Rummy, where the lowest hand wins.

Pontoon FAQ

Is pontoon the same as blackjack?

Close, but not the same. Both aim for 21, but traditional pontoon hides both dealer cards, gives ties to the dealer and pays extra for a pontoon and a five card trick. The moves have different names too: twist, stick and buy.

What is a five card trick in pontoon?

A hand of five cards totalling 21 or less. In traditional rules it beats every hand except a pontoon and pays 2:1. Check Fair Go's pay table, because online versions vary.

Who wins a tie in pontoon?

In traditional pontoon the dealer wins ties. That's one of the biggest differences from blackjack, where a tie is a push. Fair Go's in-game help confirms how its version settles ties.

What does buy mean in pontoon?

Buying a card means adding to your stake before taking another card, much like doubling down in blackjack. Traditional rules let you buy more than one card, and online versions set their own limits.

Is online pontoon the same as pontoon in Australian casinos?

Not necessarily. Australian land-based casinos usually use the name for a Spanish 21-style game dealt without the tens. Fair Go lists Pontoon among its blackjack games, and its help screen shows which rules it follows.

Facts checked 8 October 2026 · page updated 9 October 2026