Pokies - Your Complete Guide

What are online pokie machines?

Online pokie machines are essentially digital versions of the pokies you’d find in a traditional casino. Just like a real pokie machine, you click a digital lever and the pokies start spinning, eventually landing on a particular sequence. Whether you win or not depends on the string of symbols you wind up with: something you get a payout, something you have to keep trying.

Traditional pokies work using mechanical principles to generate randomness. You pull a lever, and then the mechanism inside the machine spins the pokies so that how they end up is just as random as, say, throwing a pair of dice.

In online pokie machines, however, there is no physical lever. So what’s to stop the casino from rigging the game and taking your money?

Online pokies, it turns out, use something called a “random number generator.” You don’t need to know exactly how these work to understand why they’re essential.

A random number generator is just a computer programme spews out numbers at random. Programmers use this ability to create the random sequences that you see in online pokies. Each pokie corresponds to a particular set of random numbers, meaning that what you ultimately see isn’t rigged.

It’s important to note that not all online pokies are necessarily using random number generators. Legitimate casinos in New Zealand, however, must use a random number generator. Otherwise, they’re going against the rules.

Just like regular pokie machines, the output you get is displayed as a sequence, also called a line or a payline. Also, like the physical variety, you can often choose how much you want to bet.

Some online pokies, for instance, will payout prizes in proportion to the amount that you bet. Others will demand that you place a particular minimum bet to be in with a chance of winning the jackpot. As ever, you’ll have to check the rules of each provider you choose to see how their pokie machines work.

Finally, just as with regular pokie machines, you have auto spin options. If you get fed up with physically clicking a button, you can tell the online pokies provider to spin for you. It’s quicker, more comfortable, and more intense.

How To Play

Learning how to play online pokies is way easier than you think. If the above sounded complicated to you, don’t worry, it’s actually incredibly simple. Plus, once you’ve got the hang of online pokies, you can have loads of fun. It’s well worth it.

The first thing to do is to choose a pokie game. Online casinos usually have dozens, if not hundreds, from which you can choose. The main difference between them is the theme - that is, how the pokies look. For instance, some might have a leprechaun theme, while others focus on ancient Egypt. Usually, the rules do not differ hugely. The game you choose is just a matter of aesthetic preference.

Next, open the game that you want to play. You’ll immediately see the reels as well as a bankroll in the corner, telling you how much money or casino credits you have remaining.

Look at the screen in front of you. You should see the buttons that operate the pokie machine, such as “spin” and “max bet.” Most games also come with a paytable, showing you what you’ll win for various pay lines and sequences.

The paytable is one of the most exciting parts of any online pokies game. It provides you with the information you need to know what to look for as you place your bets and click spin. Hopefully, three watermelons in a row will come up!

After you’ve finished perusing the paytable, it’s time to get down to business and place your bets. After all, this is a form of gambling. Some games have options to set things like maximum bet and also bets on specific pay lines. The more you bet on a particular pay line, the higher the payout will be if it comes up.

Once you’ve done that, it’s time to click spin. The random number generator will create a set of arbitrary symbols, and the game will tell you if you’ve won.

If you win then great: you’ll see coins, credit or money deposited into your bankroll. If you don’t, then there’s always the chance to try again, so long as there’s money in your bankroll.

How to Win on Online Pokie Machines

Winning in online pokies comes down to luck. Whether you win or not is in the hands of the random number generator.

It’s worth pointing out, though, that some pay lines are more likely than others.

Retake a look at the paytable. Don’t just look at the jackpots: look at the smaller prizes too. Often you’ll find that winning the lower payouts is much more likely than winning larger amounts, so you may want to focus your bets on those.

Winning on a pokie machine, therefore, is any time that the pokies payout and increase the number in your bankroll. It counts as a win if you get paid back NZ$5 or NZ$5,000 for your spin. It is whenever you get back more money than you put in.

Game Variations

So far, we’ve discussed only the most basic features of online pokies machines. Digital variants, however, come with many bonuses and features of their mechanical counterparts - and add some new ones too!

Most often, these bonuses take the form of bonus spins - in other words, free spins that you don’t have to pay for. Getting a particular pay line activates the bonus, letting you pull the one-armed bandit without spending any of the money in your bankroll.

There are other types of bonuses too. For instance, some games will add a free bonus pokie if you get a particular arrangement of symbols. These extra pokies give you another chance to win in a specific round.

You can also get so-called multi-level bonus pokies. These ramp up bonuses based on several levels of increased winnings and prizes, as long as you complete the sequence.

Some online pokies feature “scatters.” These are special symbols which automatically generate rewards (such as a free spin) without you having to complete a sequence.

Related to scatters are “wilds.” These are symbols that give you a bonus in your current round, like an extra payout should you win. Wilds and scatters both tend to be rare.

Some games have wagering requirements. These rules mean that you have to put down a certain amount of money to access particular rewards, game features or payouts.

Useful Tips and Strategies

You might think that success on online pokies comes down to random luck, but it turns out that you have more control over what happens than you might think.

Here are some useful tips that all Kiwis can use when playing online pokies:

Look for high payout pokies

Some pokies providers will give you information on the percentage payout of their machines: that is, the amount of money they payout, on average, as a percentage of what players put in.

A machine with an 80 per cent payout ratio, for instance, would pay players NZ$80 in winnings for every NZ$100 they put in.

Some pokies offer much more than this. The payout for top pokies can run as 97 per cent, meaning that there are way more opportunities to make a return.

Stick To Single Paylines If You Want To Play Longer

Betting on multiple pay lines might be fun, but it can mean that you whittle away your bankroll faster. If you want to play for longer, stick with individual pay lines.

Read The Rules First, So You Know What You’re Getting Into

Not all pokies have the same rules, so experienced players always take a glance at the rules first.

Viewing the rules is a good idea for a couple of reasons. The first is that it tells you what you’re liable to win if you plat. The second is that you can discover any wagering requirements or how to take advantage of bonuses and features to increase your winnings.

Always Keep Track Of Your Spending

Most pokies players set limits for the amount of money that they set aside for the games. It can sometimes be easy to overspend on online pokies, so keep an eye on your bankroll.

Make Use Of Special Features

While you can mindlessly click “spin” over and over, we wouldn’t recommend it. Most games come with unique features that you can use to your advantage. Again, read up on the rules and see if there are any ways that you can win faster.