How to Play Online Pokies: A Beginner’s Guide

• Strategy
• 21. 06. 2024.
• Filip Hristov

If you ask any casino player, they’ll say that the most popular casino games are pokies. These games entice players thanks to their easy-to-master gameplay, varied prizes, numerous themes, and entertaining capabilities, thus appealing to casual gamers and high rollers.

As entertaining as pokies are, they can seem a tad confusing at first, especially for beginners. This article will help you learn everything you need to know about these games, right down to the most basic level. Let’s get a move on!

What are online pokies?

Online pokies are a type of gambling game where players collect matching symbols and earn cash prizes. These icons can appear in the playing area, consisting of reels and rows. Reels stand upright while rows are laid out horizontally. When a symbol lands, it stops at an intersection of reels and rows, which determines its position.

Most games use paylines to decide whether a win will occur or not. As their name implies, paylines are lines that cross the playing area. If you collect enough matching symbols on one of these lines, your balance rises.

Each round begins with players initiating a spin. This will cause the icons to spin on the playing area before eventually coming to a stop. You will receive the corresponding payout if enough matching symbols appear on a payline. If you don’t win, you can start the next round by spinning the reels again.

How to play online pokies

To help you get familiar with pokies, I’ve assembled a step-by-step guide that is easy to follow.

1. Launch the game

The first step to any pokie game is finding the one that interests you. It can be as simple as its name or theme, or maybe you’re after a specific feature. Whatever the case, you can launch the game by clicking or tapping on it in your chosen online casino.

2. Set your bet

Before you start playing, changing your wager in a way that suits your budget is important. To set your bet, you press the plus and minus buttons. Alternatively, press the total bet and choose how much you want to play per round.

3. Press the spin button

Once you’re satisfied with your bet level, you can start playing the game. You do this by pressing the Spin button to make the reels move.

4. Wait for the outcome

After a couple of seconds, the reels will stop and display the final layout of icons. If any winning combinations are formed, the game will add a prize to your balance. Similarly, if the right symbols appear, you will activate a feature.

5. Next round begins

Once all the bonuses are finished, the round is completed, and the rewards are paid out. You can admire the prizes you’ve gotten and adjust your bet if necessary. Once you’re ready, you can start the next round by pressing the spin button.

Game mechanics

Pokies come in many different shapes and sizes, allowing them to appeal to a wide range of players. However, beneath the fancy visuals lie a set of game mechanics that are used in every pokie you can play.

Random Number Generator (RNG)

The most common question I hear from new players is whether pokies are fair. The answer lies with the random number generator, or RNG for short. It is used to determine the outcome of each spin, right down to its minute details. Whether you win or lose and what icons will be part of the winning combination is all drawn up by RNG.

The random number generator is constantly selecting random numbers, with values ranging from zero to multiple billions. This is done using an algorithm, which gambling regulators can test to see if it produces truly random outcomes. When you press the Spin button, the game snapshots an RNG value and uses it to decide the result of the round.

Bonus rounds and features

Part of the reason I enjoy these games so much is the diverse selection of pokie bonuses. I’ll mainly be focusing on the most common features here, but know these bonuses are just the tip of the iceberg. You’ll discover and enjoy many more features while trying different pokies.

Free Spins

Free spins are the bread and butter of pokie bonus rounds. You get to play some rounds at no cost, saving you a couple of bucks. Many pokies pair free spins with other features to make it more exciting. By landing enough Scatter symbols in the playing area, you’ll activate the free spins round.

Multipliers

A straight-up boost to how much money you can win is always welcome, and that’s precisely what multipliers provide. They will either appear attached to a symbol or as part of another feature like free spins. As the name suggests, multipliers multiply your total wins by the corresponding amount. For example, a $10 payout affected by a 5x multiplier will become a $50 reward.

Bonus games

Bonus games are a catch-all term for smaller features with some player control. The most frequent type of bonus game is the Pick and Click feature, where players select one of several objects to reveal cash prizes.

Wild features

Wilds are special icons that can substitute for almost any symbol when forming a winning combination. They are usually contained to a single icon, but as you’ll come to realize, pokies always have a variant or two up their sleeves. You can encounter Wild reels that cover the entire reel they land on or Sticky Wilds that lock in place for a certain duration.

Paytables and winning combinations

While pokies are games of chance, that doesn’t mean you’re flying blind. Software providers add paytables to their titles to ensure players know what to expect. Paytables list the value of each symbol when it forms a winning combination. The more icons participate in a win, the better the payout.

Paytables also have information on the number of paylines and available bonus rounds in a specific game. The latter is important, as it explains how each feature works. It’s a godsend when you’re encountering a new bonus round for the first time.

Types of online pokies

As I’ve hinted earlier in this guide, pokies can be vastly different from one another. That is why these games are split into several categories, which tell you what to expect right off the bat.

Classic pokies

Classic pokies stick to a formula dating back to the earliest pokie machines, which featured three reels and very few paylines. While video pokies have mostly supplanted this design, classic pokies still remain popular with a specific crowd.

You may think these titles just appeal to people’s nostalgia, but that’s not the case. Game developers are always innovating and introducing new features to the mix. Titles like Play’n GO’s Fire Joker, Betsoft’s Fruit Zen, and Felix Gaming’s It’s a Joker prove classic slots still have plenty of punch left in them.

Video pokies

Video pokies are the backbone of online casinos. They feature five or more reels and 20+ paylines and usually have plenty of fun features to entertain players. These are my favourite pokies type, thanks to their rewarding flexibility. From sweet and simple to in-depth and lucrative, video pokies do it all.

If you want to see their variety, look no further than our video pokie examples. Book of Dead by Play’n GO, Jammin’ Jars by Push Gaming, and Bonanza by Big Tiger Gaming all offer a wildly different set of features and game mechanics. However, they all fall under the video pokie umbrella.

Progressive pokies

While pokies are entertainment only, some players enjoy the thrill of chasing a big win. For such punters, progressive pokies are a dream come true. Every round you play contributes to an ever-growing jackpot with low odds of being won. As a result, you can look forward to a sweet top prize that can climb into the millions.

My favourite progressive pokies are Mega Moolah by Games Global and Age of the Gods by Playtech. Not only do these titles offer a jaw-dropping jackpot, but they also have charming visuals and other features that keep players coming back for more.

3D pokies

As the power of computers and smartphones increased over time, so did the visuals pokies could provide. This allowed for the rise of 3D pokies, games with jaw-dropping, innovative graphics and animations that create a more immersive experience. These releases are similar in structure to video pokies; they just put more focus on eye-catching illustrations.

Great examples of 3D pokies include Relax Gaming’s Money Train 3, Red Tiger’s Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, and Nolimit City’s Mental. You can see the extra care and effort artists put into these titles, which is why so many New Zealanders are stoked to play them.

Branded pokies

While most pokies and software providers prefer to stick to their own worlds, game tie-ins to popular movies and TV shows are nothing new. Branded pokies bring our favourite characters to life on the screen and frequently call back popular scenes from those flicks.

Most of the time, branded pokies focus on popular shows like Narcos or The Walking Dead. However, you can also find titles like Millionaire Rush, which borrows the brand of the well-known Who Wants to be a Millionaire game show.

Strategy & Tips for Playing Pokies

I won’t sugarcoat it: pokies are a bit too random to have a definite strategy for playing them. However, there are some ways to give yourself an edge, which I’ll be discussing in this section.

Manage your bankroll

This should be the first skill you should learn if you plan to spend any amount of time on pokie sites. There are always more games to try that will tempt you to spend more than planned. Instead, you should set a budget and stick to it come hell or high water.

Plan your wagers for the funds you have, not ones you might win in the future. After all, it’s not fun if you blow through all your money in one sitting.

Choose the right game

The most important part of any pokie is whether you enjoy playing it. However, if you want the best odds of victory, you’ll also need to consider a game’s RTP and volatility.

RTP is short for return to player and is the amount of money you can expect to win back after wagering. For example, a 96% RTP means you should score $96 for every $100 you bet. Keep in mind this is an average spanning millions of rounds. Luck is still a primary factor in whether you’ll go home with a few Ern Ruddys in your balance or not. A better RTP just gives you slightly higher chances to make it happen.

Meanwhile, volatility or variance is the risk associated with a specific pokie. Higher volatility games often entice players with huge prizes you cannot find in lower-variance pokies. I recommend medium volatility titles for newcomers, which offer the best of both worlds.

Play for free first

Most software providers let you try before you buy, so to speak. They offer demo versions of their pokies, which function identically to their real-money counterparts. The only difference is you’re playing with virtual funds provided by the developers themselves. Any wins you score while in demo mode cannot be withdrawn.

This is a helpful feature for determining whether a specific game will be enjoyable. I recommend always trying a title for free before committing any real money. That way, you’ll know what to expect and can budget accordingly.

Take advantage of bonuses

The great thing about the popularity of pokies is that they’re included in nearly every casino promotion. These offers usually give you bonus cash or free spins on specific games that you can take advantage of. That said, not every promotion is worth claiming. I suggest only using bonus offers with low or no wagering requirements, as it’s easier to clear them.

Most Popular Online Pokies

Legal and Responsible Gambling in New Zealand

As fun as gambling can be, it is a hobby that can get out of hand. That is why I recommend following these steps to ensure you stay in control.

• Legal age – New Zealand’s law prevents anyone below the age of 20 from gambling. You cannot play pokies online for real money if you’re not of legal age.
• Responsible gambling resources – Online casinos offer many tools to help punters enjoy pokies responsibly. These include deposit and loss limits, self-exclusion, game time reminders, and more.
• Self-awareness – If you feel like gambling is encroaching on your everyday life, you should distance yourself from it for some time or contact a gambling help centre that could offer some assistance.

Conclusion

As long as you enjoy them responsibly, online pokies can be heaps of fun. The variety of game themes, visuals, and bonus features all but guarantee there is a pokie out there for everyone. Despite it all, the core gameplay loop remains simple and approachable – you hit the spin button and watch the magic happen.

So the next time you have a smoko and want to do something new, give pokies a go. You may discover a whole new world of entertainment.

FAQ

Can you win real money on online pokies?

Yes, you can, provided you’re playing online pokies for real money.

How do you play pokies?

You hit the spin button and hope the right symbols appear on the screen.

Is it legal to play online pokies in New Zealand?

New Zealanders can legally play online pokies on overseas pokie sites.

Is there a best time to play online pokies?

No, your odds of winning are the same regardless of when you decide to play pokies.

Do I have to register an account to play online pokies?

You need a casino account to play online pokies for real money.

Can I play pokies on my smartphone?

Yes, almost all pokies are available on mobile devices.