Pontoon is essentially the same game as Blackjack except the game is played using eight 52-card decks whereas Blackjack is typically played with one to four decks. Online casinos like this game because those eight 52-card decks give the house a bit of an edge. It is almost impossible to cheat at Pontoon using charts or card counting as the large number of cards used make predictability or memorizing cards very difficult.

Like Blackjack, Pontoon is a version of the older European card game “21” (sometimes also called Spanish 21). The goal of the game is to beat the dealer by creating a hand that is better than the online casino dealers.  In the older version of Pontoon, which is sometimes offered in online casinos, players are offered a 3 to 2 bonuses if you achieve a natural 21 when you are dealt your first two cards.  An example of this kind of bonus is a hand that consists of either a black Jack (the Jack of Spades or Clubs) with a corresponding black Ace.

Between two to eight players can play a game of Pontoon. The card rankings are the same as in a regular game of Blackjack. An ace can be "1" or "11"; a Queen is 10 and so on. The game's objective is to reach a total of 21 and no more. The banker in this game has a built-in advantage – he wins ties. Also, a banker may sell his seat to another player (but this is only facilitated in a live casino game of Pontoon.)

Online casinos sometimes call many games that are variations of regular Blackjack Pontoon. Common variations of the casino game include:

Being offered insurance, which means being able to bet on whether or not the dealer is holding an Ace and a Face Card only being dealt one card if an Ace is turned over.

The option to surrender and leave the game before the dealer checks for a Blackjack

Restrictions on which card values may be allowed to be double downed

The dealer may be allowed to hit a soft seventeen by playing an ace and a six (which can be either a seven or a seventeen)

Playing the European No Hole Card Rule, which means that the dealer only receives one card that is dealt face up and does not receive the second card until the players have wagered and asked to be hit with new cards. This means players lose not only their original bet, but also any additional money invested from splitting and doubling down.

There are more than a few variations of Pontoon, which can be found in the casinos. Each Pontoon game has its own set of rules, strategies and odds. It is advised to take a look at the rules of the specific online free casino game of Pontoon, which may be played similar to, but not exactly as a game of Blackjack.