Quick answer: In an Australian casino, Pontoon is not the British home game. It is a Spanish 21 style game dealt from 48-card decks (the 10s removed), with no hole card and a player 21 that always wins. Wizard of Odds puts its house edge between 0.34% (Canberra) and 0.64% (Adelaide), often lower than standard blackjack in the same casino.
Ask ten Aussie players what Pontoon is and you will get two very different answers. Half learned it at home or in the pub (twist, stick, buy). The other half know it as the green-felt table next to blackjack at Crown or The Star. They are different games with different maths. We explain both, then show when casino Pontoon is the better bet.
Two games called Pontoon
| British (home) Pontoon | Australian casino Pontoon | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you play it | Home, pub, barracks, most online "Pontoon" games | Crown, The Star, SkyCity and other Aussie casinos |
| Deck | Standard 52 cards (1 or 2 decks at home) | 48-card decks, 4 to 8 of them (no 10s, picture cards stay) |
| Words used | Twist (hit), stick (stand), buy (raise your bet) | Hit, stand, double, split |
| Ties | Banker wins all ties | Handled much like blackjack |
| Player 21 | Must beat the banker's hand | Always wins, even against a dealer blackjack |
| Special hands | Pontoon and five-card trick pay 2:1 | Bonus payouts on some 21s, varies by casino |
| Closest relative | British home 21 | Spanish 21 (US casinos) |
One trap: most online games called "Pontoon" follow the British style (Wizard of Odds analyses several of them separately). The rules and the house edge do not carry over to the casino game.
House edge by city
Wizard of Odds (page updated August 2026) lists the Pontoon rules used around Australia and the house edge for each:
| Rules | House edge |
|---|---|
| Canberra | 0.34% |
| Melbourne and Tasmania | 0.38% |
| Perth | 0.38% |
| Queensland | 0.40% |
| Sydney | 0.42% |
| Adelaide | 0.64% |
For comparison, a standard Aussie blackjack game usually lands somewhere between 0.5% and 0.9%, depending on the soft 17 rule and the no hole card rule. In Sydney, Wizard of Odds found Pontoon about a third cheaper than conventional blackjack. You can compare your own table in the house edge calculator.
How can a game without 10s be cheaper?
Taking four 10s out of every deck helps the dealer. So why does Pontoon often come out ahead? The rules pay you back:
- Player 21 always wins. Your 21 is paid even if the dealer later draws blackjack. In normal blackjack, it would lose or push.
- Bonus payouts on some 21s (for example five-card 21s or certain three-card 21s), depending on the casino.
Rules still vary from city to city, which is why the house edge ranges from 0.34% to 0.64%. Wizard of Odds notes, for example, that Adelaide now allows two splits. Always check the table's rules card.
Pontoon tables to watch out for
- 6-to-5 Pontoon (Crown Melbourne lists it in Rules Version 29.0): a reduced 6:5 payout. Choose standard Crown Pontoon if both are open.
- Jackpot side bets such as Pontoon Pandemonium (jackpot up to A$250,000 at Crown): fun, but side bets carry a higher house edge than the main game.
- Soft 17: Crown Pontoon's dealer hits soft 17. It is already built into the 0.38% figure, but check any other Pontoon table you sit at.
Can I use my blackjack strategy in Pontoon?
Only partly. Removing the 10s changes a lot of close decisions, and the bonus payouts change them again. In my experience, players who bring a blackjack chart to a Pontoon table double too often on 10 and 11 and stand too early on multi-card hands.
- Use a Pontoon-specific chart for the exact city rules.
- Chase five-card hands a little when a bonus is paid on them.
- Skip insurance, just as in blackjack.
Our strategy chart covers blackjack only. If you are new to Aussie tables, start with Australian blackjack rules and no hole card blackjack, which apply to Pontoon too.
Pontoon or blackjack: which should you pick?
- Pick Pontoon if the casino's blackjack hits soft 17 or is a variant like Blackjack Plus.
- Pick blackjack if you know basic strategy well and the table stands on soft 17 with a friendly no hole card rule.
- Pick neither if the minimum is more than you are willing to lose in an hour. See minimum bets in Australia.
Rules change from one casino to the next, and sometimes from one table to the next in the same room. Want every casino in one view? See blackjack rules at every Australian casino (one table, with sources). Or use these guides side by side before you choose a table: New to Aussie tables? Start with our Australian blackjack rules guide and keep the strategy chart open while you practise.Compare with other Aussie casinos
Casino guide What stands out Key number Crown Melbourne blackjack Rules Version 29.0: no hole card, double 9-11, Crown Blackjack hits soft 17 Pontoon 0.38% The Star Sydney blackjack Star Blackjack hits soft 17, Blackjack Challenge, NSW carded play Pontoon 0.42% Crown Sydney blackjack Traditional vs Crown Blackjack, partial doubles, no pokies A$20 legal minimum Crown Perth blackjack Soft 17 set by table layout, dealer blackjack takes all, resplit aces Pontoon 0.38% The Star Brisbane and Gold Coast Star Blackjack hits soft 17, 2026 ownership change About 0.8% SkyCity Adelaide blackjack Freebet and 6:5 Party Blackjack, SA's only casino Pontoon 0.64%
Game and tool guides What it covers Key number Blackjack Plus Dealer 22 pushes, instant pays on 21 and five cards 6.36% house edge Pontoon vs blackjack 48-card decks, player 21 always wins, house edge by city 0.34% to 0.64% Side bets in Australia Crown Pairs, Buster Blackjack, Any Pair, insurance 1.9% to 22% Minimum bets in Australia What players report at Crown and The Star, electronic tables Checked Sept 2026 Card counting in Australia What is legal, counting devices, bet limits and bans NSW s87(2) House edge calculator Enter your table's rules and see the cost per hour A$ per hour
Frequently asked questions
Is Pontoon the same as blackjack?
No. Australian casino Pontoon uses 48-card decks with the 10s removed, and a player 21 always wins. British Pontoon is a home game with twist, stick and buy.
Which has the lower house edge, Pontoon or blackjack?
In many Australian casinos Pontoon does. Wizard of Odds puts it between 0.34% and 0.64% by city, and about a third lower than blackjack in Sydney.
Why are there no 10s in Pontoon?
Casino Pontoon uses Spanish-style 48-card decks. Picture cards still count as 10, but the numbered 10s are removed, which the bonus rules then make up for.
Is online Pontoon the same as casino Pontoon?
Usually not. Most online games called Pontoon follow British rules, which are a different game with a different house edge.
Where is the best Pontoon in Australia?
On published rules, Canberra at 0.34%, followed by Melbourne, Tasmania and Perth at 0.38%.
Learn the base game first
Pontoon builds on blackjack decisions. Get those right on our free blackjack game, with Aussie no hole card rules and practice points only.