How To Win On Online Pokies

If you’re looking for strategies on how to win at real money pokies, you’ve come to the right place. Pokies are among Australians’ favourite games of chance. Winning a huge jackpot comes down to landing the right symbols on the reels. But, there are things you can do to improve your chances and increase your pokie prowess.

The experts at Australian Gambling Online have put together their favourite tips to share with you. Discover how online pokies work, how to choose winning machines, and popular myths and misconceptions, too. Keep reading for how to win online pokies in Australia.

Best casino sites to win at pokies

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How Online Pokies Work

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All online pokies work in a similar fashion — there is a combination of spinning reels with symbols, and various pre-determined paylines. The goal is to line up a specific combination of symbols across the paylines to win jackpots, unlock bonus rounds, or earn free spins.

Symbols vary by game provider and theme, but most pokies have a combination of standard symbols, wild symbols, scatter symbols, or multipliers, each with a different function:

  • Standard Symbols: basic game symbols that fit the game’s theme. Get specific combinations to win prizes.
  • Wild Symbols: similar to jokers, these are symbols that can take the place of another to form winning paylines.
  • Scatter Symbols: trigger special features, bonus rounds, or free spins. They do not need to appear on a payline.
  • Multipliers: increase the payout on a winning combo by a certain factor (ex. 2x, 5x, etc.)
  • Other Symbols: these could be special features, overlay symbols, jackpot symbols, etc. The game information should have a list of other symbols that affect outcomes.

Pokie outcomes are determined by a computer algorithm called an RNG, or Random Number Generator. This feature ensures that each spin or outcome is random and fair making it impossible for players to game the system.

Choosing the Best Winning Online Pokie Machines

Winning at pokies comes down to choosing the best machine. Here’s how our experts select the best winning online pokies.

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Key Factors To Consider

When selecting a pokie machine, there are three key factors to consider; the return to player percentage (or RTP), the machine’s volatility, and the game themes. Here’s a bit about each:

  • RTP: the return to player percentage (RTP) is one of the most important things to review before playing a machine. It refers to the average amount of money a machine is expected to pay back to a player over time. Knowing the RTP can help players manage their expectations when it comes to returns because RTPs vary between machines — typically between 92% and 98%. A higher RTP indicates a better chance of winning in the long term.
  • Volatility: the machine’s volatility refers to a pokie machine’s risk level. They typically come in high, medium, or low volatility. On a high-volatility machine, you may not win as often, but the payouts are generally larger when it does happen. Low-volatility machines are the opposite—the machines pay out more often but with smaller payouts. Medium-volatility machines land somewhere in the middle. Again, knowing a machine’s volatility can help a player set expectations for winning.
  • Themes: today’s pokie machines come in hundreds of different themes. Themes help shape the overall gaming experience by providing an immersive setting through visuals and sound. Players choose games with themes that resonate with their interests to enhance their enjoyment.
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Finding High RTP Pokies

There are thousands of pokie games available to Australians so finding the ones with the highest RTPs can be challenging. Our experts have put together a list of popular high-RTP pokies for you to start with:

  • Lightning Link Pokies: this is a popular series of progressive jackpot pokies from Aristocrat Gaming that come in various themes. The average RTP on Lightning Link pokies is 98.1%.
  • Wolf Treasure: this pokie from IGT features a North American wildlife theme and a unique Hold and Spin bonus. Wolf Treasure has a 96% RTP with 25 paylines over five reels.
  • 5 Dragons: Asian-themed slots are very popular. Australians love this offering from Aristocrat with 243 total paylines and a 95.1% RTP. When playing 5 Dragons, look for green dragon head wild symbols.
  • Indian Dreaming: this game is a favourite from Aristocrat’s back catalogue. Originally released in 1999, Indian Dreaming has a Native American theme with buffalo, dreamcatcher, and teepee symbols. RTP sits at 98.99% making it one of the highest in our list.

Finding the Best Casinos

To improve your chances of taking home a big jackpot, players must look for the best australian online casinos. Our experts recommend starting with casinos that have a proven reputation, solid reviews, and proper licensing from an established government entity such as the UK Gambling Commission or the Curacao Gaming Control Board. If the casino doesn’t have a proper license, you should play elsewhere.

Our gaming experts spend their time testing and reviewing online casinos so you don’t have to. Our current popular picks include; Spinsy, Rooli, and Lucky Wins! Casinos. You can find a comprehensive list of Australia’s top casinos on our casino reviews page.

Effective Strategies for Winning At Pokies in Australia

Pokies are games of chance and therefore winning will always be based on luck. That being said, there are a few effective strategies to help you win at pokies more consistently and extend your gameplay further. Here are some pointers from our experts:

Bankroll Management Tips

Effective bankroll management is one of the most important things you can do to extend your gameplay and keep from burning through money too quickly. First, set a gambling budget and stick to it. You can also consider dividing your bankroll into smaller portions and setting limits for each session in order to play for longer. Avoid chasing losses as it can lead to greater losses and emotional stress.

Betting Strategies

While no betting strategy will guarantee a win on a pokie machine, there are some things you can do to help extend your gameplay. Here are some common betting strategies that players use on pokie machines:

  • Flat Betting: with this strategy, players always bet the same amount for each spin. Since you’re always making a consistent bet, it makes it easier to manage your bankroll and extend your game. It also helps prevent large losses.
  • Progressive Betting: this strategy is slightly different in that you increase your bet size after a win, but return to a minimum after a loss. It allows you to capitalise on a winning streak and minimise your losses when you lose. This could pose a risk to your bankroll, however, as it will fluctuate over time.
  • Bet Max: this strategy involves betting the maximum amount and is more effective on progressive jackpots. With this strategy, you risk depleting your bankroll quickly if you’re not winning. It is best suited for pokie machines where the max bet could significantly affect the payout.

Setting Limits and Knowing When to Stop

Setting limits and knowing when to stop is crucial. Many reputable online casinos will allow players to set time limits, betting limits and budget limits for themselves. Look for these controls in your account settings. Experts encourage you to take breaks and avoid gambling when you’re feeling emotional, as this could lead to risky behaviour. Always remember that gambling should always be done responsibly and it’s meant to be fun, not stressful!

Common Myths and Misconceptions on Winning on Pokies

There are many myths surrounding pokies that often mislead players. Let’s debunk these misconceptions and provide a clearer understanding of how pokies really work, so you can approach them with the right expectations.

Debunking Popular Myths

There are several popular myths and misconceptions about winning on pokie machines. None of them are reliable so our experts want to clear up a few things for you before you buy-in to one of these fallacies.

  • Hot or Cold Machines: there is no such thing as a hot or cold machine since each spin is determined by an RNG. This is especially true for digital pokie machines where no mechanics are involved.
  • Gambler’s Fallacy: this refers to the belief that a win must be coming after a series of losses or that a win is ‘due’ to happen soon. Again, each spin is completely random.
  • Higher Bets: some gamblers believe that betting more money per spin will increase their chances of winning. This is untrue. Betting higher amounts could result in a higher payout if you do win, but it doesn’t increase your odds of winning. Betting the maximum amount may be required to qualify for a progressive jackpot but you can still win big prizes with smaller bets.
  • Playing at Certain Times: some games such as live poker or live blackjack can be influenced by the number of players at the table, therefore playing at off-peak times may be in your favour. Pokies, however, are an individual game and not affected at all by when you play them.

Best Pokies Machines To Win In Australia

Although everyone has a preference for themes or gameplay, we always try to determine what is the best pokie machine to win in Australia when writing our pokie reviews. If you’re looking to play the biggest progressive jackpot pokies machines in Australia, here is a rundown of the top online casino games:

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Shopping Spree

Shopping Spree isn’t the flashiest pokies game out there, but it does have one of the biggest jackpots! You’ll have to find five diamond rings when betting the maximum in order to win it.

In the meantime, you can enjoy the game’s bonus round and scatter symbols. Bets start at just $0.25.

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Reels & Wheels XL

Reels & Wheels XL is a 5-reel pokie with 20 paylines. The game boasts a 96% RTP. Capturing two bonus symbols and a wheel symbol on the reels will trigger a bonus megawheel spin.

The megawheel contains multiplier awards and a jackpot award. If you land on the jackpot, you’ll then have another megawheel to spin in order to determine which of the five prizes you’ll take home.

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Aztec's Millions

Aztec’s Millions has long been one of the internet’s biggest jackpot pokies. Because of its age, the artwork is slightly dated and there are few thrills to speak of beyond a free spins feature and standard scatter/wild symbols.

Nevertheless, capturing five Aztec’s Millions symbols will earn you life-changing money.

How To Win On Online Pokies FAQs

Are the odds better if a pokie machine has not paid out for a while?

No, the odds of a pokie machine paying out are not influenced by how frequently they pay out. This myth is best known as ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ pokie machines and superstitious gamblers would tell you that a ‘hot’ machine is liable to pay out, while a ‘cold’ machine is unlikely to pay out.

Thanks to the random number generator technology ensuring fair gameplay, ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ pokie machines are just a myth. While you may experience multiple wins or losses in a row, this is just the probability at work, rather than the machine being ‘hot’ or ‘cold’.

If you want to learn how to win on pokies in Australia more frequently, we would recommend you try a pokie machine with low volatility. That way, you’ll earn more consistent (albeit smaller) wins.

Do new pokie machines give a better chance of winning?

No, the age of a pokie machine does not necessarily influence your chances of winning. You have a better chance of winning on a pokie machine released in 2015 with 97% RTP than you would playing a brand new 2024 pokie machine with 95% RTP.

When trying to determine the best pokie machine to win in Australia, RTP and volatility are the key factors rather than the age of the game.

Do the odds change depending on how much I bet?

Generally speaking, the size of you wager should not influence your odds of winning at pokies. That being said, some pokies machines do alter the paytables and odds depending on your wagering amount but this will clearly be stated.

Players should consider that many online pokies have multiple paylines and the more paylines you play, the more you will have to wager. Naturally, if you want to maximise you chances of winning you will need to play all the paylines and therefore wager more. In this instance, it’s more that you need to wager more to be able to win, rather than to increase the odds.

How do I win at pokies every time?

Unfortunately there is no way to ensure a win at pokies, never mind a win every time! When playing at safe, regulated casinos, all the games are audited by third party bodies to ensure the use of Random Number Generators (RNGs). When built into pokies, RNG software draws a completely random outcome with every spin. There is no way for a player to affect the given outcome.

What are the best pokies machines to win in Australia?

There are a number of Australian pokies machines which have life-changing jackpot sums up for grabs. Hitting the jackpot on Mega Moolah, Aztec Millions, or any other pokies game with a prize pot of more than $1,000,000 must be incredible, but remember that the odds of winning big money on these machines are extremely slim.

What is the average payout percentage on a pokie machine?

Online pokies have a variable payout percentage, also called RTP, so it depends on the particular machine. The very best pokie machine to win in Australia can have a payout percentage as high as 99% – Mega Joker by NetEnt and Ugga Bugga by Playtech both boast 99%+ payout percentages.

Generally speaking, we would advise against playing any pokie machine with a payout percentage below 95%. There are literally thousands of pokies out there, so don’t set yourself up with a low paying pokie.

What is the best pokies strategy?

Because pokies are luck-based, there is nothing you can do within the game to improve your chances of striking wins. However, you can improve your chances of being successful by managing your bankroll well and choosing fair games with high RTPs.

What’s better to play, dollar machines or one cent machines?

This question really depends on your personal preferences. If you have a smaller bankroll, playing 1¢ pokies will allow you to extend you gaming session. But if you have a larger bankroll and want to try for bigger wins, playing $1 pokies is probably better for you.

We always recommend you choose a pokie machine and wager size to fit your bankroll, so that you can play and enjoy for as long as you want.

How should I choose a pokies machine?

There are a couple of things you should factor in when choosing pokies to play. Firstly, be sure that the pokie has a high RTP (96%+) rate and that it has stakes which fit within your budget. Most modern pokies offer bonus rounds and exciting features like scatters and wilds, but traditionalists may prefer the more simple fruit machines.

The key is to choose a game which appeals to you personally – look for themes and designs which you enjoy, and try the game for free before playing online casino in Australia for real money.

Matthew Vanzetti

Pokie Professor & Casino Expert

Matthew Vanzetti is the go-to expert on pokies at Australian Gambling Online, bringing years of firsthand experience from Melbourne’s casino floors to his engaging articles. His expertise covers everything from traditional slot machines to modern jackpots, providing readers with practical insights and tips to enhance their gaming experience.

Matthew’s passion and detailed knowledge make his writings essential for anyone interested in the thrilling world of pokies.

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