In this guide, you will learn all about the types of pokies offered at online casinos and how to choose the ones with the biggest return on investment (ROI).
+ play pokies online in the best online casinos, along with 5 of our best gaming tips.
Before that, you will find our own top list of the absolute best slot machines right now, according to our experts.
You will also find the latest reviewed slots, latest news from the blog in the category slots/pokies & New Zealand’s most popular game developers.
Top 3 online pokies
Best online pokies are Sugar Rush that was awarded with the title slot of the year by Global Gaming Awards, Cupcakes that is our own winner of the year and Money Bears that is most chosen by Kiwi players.
Top 15 online pokies 2023
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Cupcakes9.696,05%RTPMax win 2,762xMax bet 200Min bet 0.10
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Cornelius8.896.04%RTPMax win 10000xMax bet 200Min bet 0.20
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Red Lights8.696%RTPMax win 100xMax bet 90Min bet 0.18
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Generous Jack8.196%RTPMax win 10,000xMax bet 5000Min bet 0.10
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Star Guardians9.196%RTPMax win € 377,175Max bet 75Min bet 0.1
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Candy Gold9.794.48%RTPMax win 7000xMax bet 100Min bet 0.20
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Taboo9.396%RTPMax win 100,000 coinsMax bet 250Min bet 0.1
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Florageddon!8.696%RTPMax win €2,000,000Max bet 100Min bet 0.20
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Sexy Vegas896,62%RTPMax win 500xMax bet 500Min bet 0.20
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Great Pigsby Megaways9.396.08%RTPMax win 20,000Max bet 50Min bet 0.10
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Gonzo’s Gold9.796.11%RTPMax win 6500xMax bet 200Min bet 0.10
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Big Bad Wolf8.697.35%RTPMax win 1225xMax bet 125Min bet 0.25
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Hells Kitchen9.996.27%RTPMax win 1000xMax bet 400Min bet 0.20
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Sweet Sugar996%RTPMax win x17,000Max bet 50Min bet 0.1
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Money Bears9.496.50%RTPMax win 200x your max betMax bet $60Min bet $0.10
Popular themes
Online Pokies NZ general info:
| 🏆Best pokie now | Cupcakes (NetEnt) |
| ⚙️Best game provider | Pragmatic Play (Drops & Wins) |
| 🥇Best pokie 2023 (GGA) | Sugar Rush (Pragmatic Play) |
| 🥈Best pokie 2022 (GGA) | Hells Kitchen (NetEnt) |
| 🥉Best pokie 2021 (GGA) | Buffalo King Megaways (NetEnt) |
| ✅Pokies reviewed | 250+ |
| 🥝Top pokies | 15 |
GGA – Global Gaming Awards
Latest online pokies for real money reviewed:
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Sugar Rush1096.50%RTPMax win 5000xMax bet 100Min bet 20
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Money Bears9.496.50%RTPMax win 200x your max betMax bet $60Min bet $0.10
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Rabbits, Rabbits, Rabbits9.696.6%RTPMax win 4,000xMax bet $60Min bet $0.01
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Rot Stormo8.695.25%RTPMax win 2000xMax bet 100Min bet 0.50
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Great Pigsby Megaways9.396.08%RTPMax win 20,000Max bet 50Min bet 0.10
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Star Guardians9.196%RTPMax win € 377,175Max bet 75Min bet 0.1
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Tree of light9.696.00%RTPMax win € 139 575Max bet 75Min bet 0.1
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Santa’s Great Gifts9.195.94%RTPMax win 5,000xMax bet 100Min bet 0.20
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Sleighin’it1096,19%RTPMax win 568XMax bet 30Min bet 0.30
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Cupcakes9.696,05%RTPMax win 2,762xMax bet 200Min bet 0.10
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Triple Christmas Gold894,27%RTPMax win 5000xMax bet 100Min bet 0.10
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Generous Jack8.196%RTPMax win 10,000xMax bet 5000Min bet 0.10
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Sexy Vegas896,62%RTPMax win 500xMax bet 500Min bet 0.20
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Red Lights8.696%RTPMax win 100xMax bet 90Min bet 0.18
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Pachin Girl8.496%RTPMax win € 24 300Max bet 75Min bet 0.1
New pokies software providers added:
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Push Gaming30+GamesEstablished 2010-
Established 2021
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Established 203Best NZ pokies guides:
Best casinos to play pokies at
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![1xBet Casino logo]()
1xBet Casino8.6NZ$ 1000+ 250 free spins4000+ gamesHall of fame sectionBitcoin accepted18+ | Wager req: 40x | Play responsibly | Gamblingtherapy.org | Terms and Conditions Apply-
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SpinYoo9.1NZ$ 2000+ 100 spins (High match bonus)2000+ gamesExclusive Yoo Club rewardsBonus on min Deposit18+ | Wager req: 35x | High Match bonus!| Gamblingtherapy.org | Play responsibly | Terms and Conditions Apply-
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Dolly casino9.3NZ$ 1000+ 100 free spins4000+ gamesMonthly tournamentsVIP advantages18+ | Wager req: 35x | Free spins wager: 40x | Gamblingtherapy.org | Play responsibly | Terms and Conditions Apply-
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PlayOjo9.680 free spinsNO WAGER (Exclusive)3000+ gamesMoneyback on every betOJO Wheel18+ | No wager req | Bonus is not valid if you deposit with Neteller or Skrill | Gamblingtherapy.org | Play responsibly | Terms and Conditions Apply-
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Leovegas9.7NZ$ 2000+ 150 free spins on Book of Golden Sands2380+ gamesMassive win potentialSpectacular selection of games18+ | Wager req: 35x | Free spins are wager free (cashspins) | Gamblingtherapy.org | Play responsibly | Terms and Conditions ApplyBest online pokies no deposit free spins
Casino Freespins & NZ Pokies Gday 25 no deposit free spins on Deco Diamonds SkolCasino 10 no deposit free spins on Starburst HelloCasino 10 free spins on Berryburst Can i play online pokies for free with no deposit bonus?
Yes on our no deposit free spins nz page you will find several reputable casinos that give you the chance to win real money without betting any.
All that is required is that you create an account with the casino and you get a certain number of free spins in one or several selected pokie machines.
Can i choose what pokie i want to use my free spins on?
No, the casino selects one or more pokies that it gives you a free chance to spin real winnings on.
Can I take advantage of all the free offers?
Yes, you can pick up free spins from any operator that offers new members free spins. However, only once per casino!
Latest online pokies news
Guide to the best pokies in NZ
Pokies online NZ are definitely Kiwis’ favourite, as there’s a wide variety of games to choose from. Themes and bonuses are so versatile that they can meet everyone’s preferences.
Even if you don’t have a developed taste in these kinds of games, we’ll help you gain one after reading this article.
In other words, you’ll be able to choose the game that meets your needs and play it for free or for real money.
There are all kinds of pokie machines you can choose from, including vintage, progressive jackpot, fruit, and many more.
Our expert reviewers made a test with one goal in mind — to select the best online pokies NZ sites and recommend them to Kiwis interested in this type of entertainment.
We’ll explain some of the basic terms and elaborate on types and available bonuses for them. Moreover, we’ll discuss how you can play on your mobile device and what the most popular game providers are.
How to play online pokies
Online pokies real money NZ are the most accessible type of all casino games. All you have to do is slap the spin button and hope for the best possible outcome.
In other words, there are no strategies that could help you improve your chances — the element of luck decides it all.
Let’s take a look at them.
Paylines
To win money while playing online pokies, you should spin the reels and hope they will stop in such a way to make a line consisting of at least three identical symbols. The first slot machines ever had just three reels and one payline, but that has changed a lot.
Modern have 10 or more paylines on average, and you can check them out by accessing the in-game help menu.
Paylines are usually paid left to right, meaning your first symbol in the combination must land on the leftmost reel.
However, some game providers decided to adopt a new approach, using the term payways instead of paylines. Some of them even developed unique game mechanics that allow thousands of payways, and one of the most popular technologies is called Megaways.
For example, if you play <em>White Rabbit Megaways</em>, an online pokie machine provided by Big Time Gaming, you’ll be able to make 248,832 different combinations that could land you a prize.
Wilds and scatters
Many slot games offer special symbols. In most cases, these symbols are referred to as Wilds and Scatters.
The Wild symbol can substitute any other symbol in the game (except other bonus symbols, such as scatter). Therefore, landing two ordinary symbols and the Wild means getting paid as if you landed three symbols in a payline.
You can learn what the Wild symbol is by accessing the in-game menu. For example, in NetEnt’s popular game <em>Narcos</em>, inspired by Netflix’s show about Colombian drug cartels, the DOJ officer badge is the Wild.
Most of the time, the Wild symbol simply has WILD written on it, so you cannot miss it.
Scatters have that name because they don’t have to be in line to create a winning combination — they can be scattered all over the grid. More importantly, Scatters are usually the ones to trigger bonus features in many NZ pokies online. In most cases, the bonus round involves free spins.
Freespins
If you land three or more Scatters <em>(sometimes referred to as bonus symbols)</em>, you’ll start the free spins round. For example, the scarab beetle represents the bonus symbol in Play’n GO’s <em>Doom of Egypt</em>, and landing three of them will result in ten free spins.
Some games will award you more free spins for landing more Scatters during the base game. Moreover, the free spins feature could be extended by landing more bonus symbols.
What types of online pokies New Zealand are there to choose from?
Types of online pokies
There are dozens of popular game providers, each of them releasing new titles monthly (sometimes even more frequently). This resulted in a broad spectrum of online nz pokies, and you might like some of them more than others.
The most common types include:
3-Reel
Inspired by the classic approach to casino games development, three-reelers are pretty easy to learn, but they have fewer special features compared to other types.
- Example: Mega Joker
5-Reel
These games have five reels and more paylines in general. They often feature various bonus features that can improve players’ chances of creating big wins.
- Example: Cash Bandit 2
Video slots
In the broadest sense, video slots are the games that feature animations and graphics on the grid and in the background. They’re the product of combining video games with slots.
- Example: Bear money
This technology improved significantly in the last couple of years, making video slots very popular among online casino players. They can be further divided into several other categories:
It is also possible to divide slots into categories based on what they have to offer.
For example, we divide all our slots reviews into the categories best slots based on RTP, new slots, best jackpot slots & our own favourites.
Pokies with highets RTP
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Mega Joker9.299%RTPMax win 200x your betMax bet $1Min bet .40.10
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1429 Uncharted Seas9.498.5%RTPMax win 670xMax bet 100Min bet 0.1
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White Rabbit Megaways8.197.39%RTPMax win 15,000x max betMax bet €20Min bet $0.1
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Big Bad Wolf8.697.35%RTPMax win 1225xMax bet 125Min bet 0.25
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Narcos6.797%RTPMax win 5000xMax bet 50Min bet 0.2
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Cash Bandits 27.697%RTPMax win 5000x max betMax bet $25Min bet $0.25
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Trump It Deluxe Epicways7.496.98%RTPMax win 50000xMax bet $10Min bet $0.10
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The Mummy Win Hunters EPICWAYS8.196.98%RTPMax win 50000xMax bet $10Min bet $0.1
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Jurassic Park7.496.97%RTPMax win 14,166 xMax bet $75Min bet $0.30
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Neptunes Harem8.596.9%RTPMax win 10,000xMax bet 25Min bet 0.20
Which online pokies offers the biggest wins? These are called progressive jackpots!
The biggest progressive jackpots
Several New Zealand players won huge amounts of money that completely changed their lives. This was made possible by progressive jackpot slots.
The biggest reward ever received was NZ$33.5 million on Friday, 28 September 2018. However, the winner wanted to remain anonymous.
Still, some lucky players, such as Jon Heywood who won NZ$28.5 million, were not scared to show their identity and brag about the life-changing win. Both of these wins were achieved on Mega Moolah.
Here’s the list of the most popular progressive jackpots:
and the most popular slots with a jackpot:
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Star Guardians9.196%RTPMax win € 377,175Max bet 75Min bet 0.1
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Sleighin’it1096,19%RTPMax win 568XMax bet 30Min bet 0.30
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Stars N’ Sweets8.196%RTPMax win 10,000xMax bet 20Min bet 0.20
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Cornelius8.896.04%RTPMax win 10000xMax bet 200Min bet 0.20
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TNT Tumble9.994.0%RTPMax win 10,000xMax bet 100Min bet 0.20
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Volatile Vikings 2994.80%RTPMax win 10.000xMax bet 100Min bet 0.10
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Temple tumble 29.994.8%RTPMax win 10,045xMax bet 100Min bet 0.20
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Neptunes Harem8.596.9%RTPMax win 10,000xMax bet 25Min bet 0.20
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Ozwins Jackpots8.896.7%RTPMax win $30,000Max bet $40Min bet $0.20
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Wheel of Wishes7.996.32%RTPMax win 500x your betMax bet 200Min bet 1,00
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Holmes and the Stolen Stones8.796.81%%RTPMax win 30,000Max bet NZ$ 100Min bet NZ$ 0.20
Playing these real money games is easy, especially if you do it in a safe and secure casino that offers a great selection of games. Selecting the best platforms was our job, but choosing the games you want to play is on you. That’s why you should take into account some of the following concepts that are a part of every pokie.
Things to consider before playing
1HIGHEST PAYOUT (RTP)RTP stands for Return to Player. It’s a simple figure that shows how much of the invested money is returned through prizes.
For example, if an RTP is 95%, the game provider and casino will take 5% as a fee and give 95% of the bets back to the luckiest players. In that case, players would get approximately NZ$95 for every NZ$100 they wager.
Some games have better RTP than others, but the element of luck will decide who will win. In other words, lucky players might walk away with hundreds — even thousands — of dollars in their packers, while the less fortunate ones will end the session empty-handed.2RNG! CAN ONLINE POKIES BE RIGGED?RNG is an abbreviation for random number generator. It’s software implemented in online pokies that ensures a random outcome in the game. In plain English, once you spin the reels, they will stop spinning randomly, meaning the combo you’ll see on the screen is only the result of your luck. Moreover, RNG prevents pokies from being tampered with.
The New Zealand Gambling Authority regulates all licensed online casino operators in New Zealand.
The regulator ensures that all platforms use RNG for their games to make sure they cannot be rigged. Even operators themselves need to use RNG to keep their platforms fair and square.
3HOW VOLATILITY AFFECTS OUTCOME?You’ll often come across the concept of volatility when reading pokies reviews. Low volatility means there’s little risk involved in playing the game. Therefore, you’ll receive prizes often, but they might not be huge.
A high-volatility is a high-risk game where prizes don’t land as often, but when they do, they tend to be pretty big. Then, there are medium-volatility pokie games that are basically trying to get the best of both worlds.
There’s no rule of thumb which online pokies you should play first. It’s a matter of a personal preference, so make sure to try all three types.
Top online pokies providers
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Established 2011
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Established 2006
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Established 1994
Who creates all these online casino pokies? Lets find out!
There are plenty of software providers that create new and exciting pokie titles all the time. The competition among them is pretty stiff, as they rush to develop new and exciting features that would help them attract new players.
Here we will list the top ten best nz online pokies providers, their most popular products as well as their features:
Rank Provider Most popular game RTP Volatility 1. NetEnt Starburst 96.09% Low 2. Microgaming Mega Moolah 88.12% Low 3. Betsoft Gypsy Rose 97.60% Low/Medium 4. Aristocrat Queen of the Nile 2 95.86% Medium 5. Yggdrasil Jungle Books 96.1% Medium 6. Play’n GO Diamond Vortex 96.20% Medium/High 7. Big Time Gaming Bonanza 96.01% High 8. RabCat Sherlock of London 96.03% Medium 9. QuickSpin Artemis vs Medusa 96.12% High 10: Realtime Gaming Aztec’s Millions 95.02% High Here we have highlighted some of the game suppliers listed above that we consider worth mentioning.
Top providers list
Let’s look more about them, as well as about other popular products that are not mentioned in the table above.
- NetEnt — Net Entertainment is the leading software provider in the online gambling industry. Its most popular titles are Dead or Alive, Narcos, Gonzo’s Quest, and more.
- Microgaming — This is a gambling company with a unique network featuring games from leading development studios around the globe. Top tittles include Game of Thrones, Immortal Romance, and others. Recently they have launched a new progressive jackpot feature called the WowPot. Jackpot starting seed is $2 millions and its becoming more and more trendy among jackpot hunters. Learn more here.
- Betsoft — Considered as one of the best mobile-friendly developers in the world. Games from this provider popular among pokie players are Legend of the Nile, Good Girl, Bad Girl, Stampede, and more.
- Aristocrat — One of the oldest companies in the industry, founded in 1953. Popular games are Queen of the Nile, Buffalo Grand, Birtney Spears, Dumb & Dumber, and others.
- Yggdrasil — Yggdrasil Gaming is a child company of Cherry AB, one of the biggest gambling companies in Sweden. Top slots from this provider are Jackpot Riders, Nirvana, Super Heroes, and more.
- Play’n GO — Company was founded in 2005 and is widely regarded as one of the industry leaders. The most popular tittles include Book of Dead (and other Rich Wilde/Cat Wilde games), Twisted Sister, Hugo, and more.
- Big Time Gaming — BTG offers a wide range of online gambling products, including plenty of popular online pokies. The company invented the Megaways mechanic. Popular games are Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Royal Mint, Monopoly, and more.
- Rabcat — Rabcat Gaming may not be as popular as other providers listed, however its content is award-winning. Popular tittles include Nikola Tesla’s Incredible Machine, Crystal Rift, and more.
Online pokies terms
Here are the most used pokie terms online, and their meaning.
Wild
This tile could give the gambler any tile they need to win. Wild tiles help gamblers win more money.
Symbols
The art on each reel and each tile. The symbols change depending on the game amblers have chosen because they all have a different theme.
Pay line
A line of matching tiles in the game that could scatter across the playing surface. A game with a pay line allows the gambler to bet for more money on each spin.
One-armed bandit
A line of matching tiles in the game that could scatter across the playing surface. A pokie game with a pay line allows the gambler to bet for more money on each spin.
Rollup
The sounds people hear when they play and win. The reel will determine what sounds come out of the roundup in each pokie game.
Fruit machine
A standard three to five-reel game. These are older pokies that people can still play online today.
Stakes
The return on each bet show the stakes so the gamblers know how much money they stand to win on each play.
5 reel
The 5 reel New Zealand online pokies are much more intriguing because the players who are playing a 5 reel game have many pay lines they can bet on.
Auto-play
The machine will play spins for the player. Plus, it will make a standard bet on each round.
Instant win-a win that happens without aid of a jackpot. Most people play with the hope that they will hit the jackpot and win all their money at once.
Big Bertha
Big Bertha is an old pokie machine that attracted players with its size. This machine was huge and possessed nine large reels. At the time, it was very popular and attracted the attention of the players.
Bet per line
Bet per line is the total amount of money payable on each line. If we bet 0.10 NZD per line and we bet line 10, then for each spin we will be removed from the balance 0.10 NZ $ x 10 lines = 1.00 NZD
Bet Max
Bet Max is a button that automatically inserts the maximum number of lines and money available on the game. With the bet max button, we can instantly choose this option and start our game.
Coin Hopper
This is the name for a container that used to be used for an old slot machine. It was the place where the pads would fall when a player hit the payout button. And everyone would hear the sound of the coins hitting that bowl.
Classic pokie
That is an old school slot machine that was used in land-based casinos. Classic ones have three reels and one pay line. It was with fruits and bonuses. It was very popular back in the days.
Instant Win
Many winnings from payouts to players are paying out during the month or few weeks, while instant win pays out immediately.
Scatter
Scatter is a symbol that can activate bonus rounds or unlock the new bonus game with lots of rewards, free money and free spins. Scatter is one of the most anticipated symbols among players.
Bonus and free spins offers
Online casinos offer plenty of promotions for new and regular players to attract and keep them spending more.
Real online pokies are having a big part in that promotion with so many cool features and attractive rewards that players can get.
The biggest advantage when it comes to all casino games for real money is welcome bonus packages.
The two most popular bonuses include:
- No deposit bonuses — Receive a small amount of bonus money or no deposit free spins as a reward for signing up in a casino.
- Deposit welcome bonus — Receive bonus money (and free spins) on top of your initial deposit.
There are plenty of promotions for regular players as well.
- Cashback bonuses — Get some of your lost money back to your account;
- Reload bonuses — Receive more money and free spins on top of your deposit;
- Free spins — Get free spins for a specific pokie (or all of them);
- Refer-a-friend — Invite a friend and receive a bonus;
- VIP/Loyalty program — Get additional goodies as a part of the VIP and loyalty programs.
Not all online casinos have all the bonuses listed here. Feel free to examine the promotions page before opening an account because in that way you can learn more about offers for new and regular players.
Currently, best bonus offers to use at online pokies:
Top 10 best pokies casino bonuses: New Zealand’s best casino bonuses. Go to the top list Top 10 free spins: Casinos with the best free spins offers. Go to the top list FAQ
Can I tell when the machine is about to payout?
Contrary to the popular myth, there are no signs that can help you predict when a machine will payout.
Do new pokie machines offer higher chances of winning?
There is no definite answer to this question. However, there is an argument that new machines will have better payback, especially for the first day of use.
Do the chances of winning depend on how much I bet?
The amount of money you stake on a machine does not, in any way, improve your chances of winning. The chances of winning are random irrespective of the amount of bet you place. However, you will not qualify for some lines if you pay an amount that does not cover all lines.
Where did the name “pokies” come from?
Pokies’ is a slang name that originated from players shortening the word poker machine. Learn more here!
Are there any mobile pokies in NZ?
Yes! Before the smartphone era, many casino games were made using flash that is now considered an outdated technology. Developers replaced flash with HTML5, which proved quite useful for making games responsive.
In other words, HTML5 developers were able to resize games for different screens and adapt them for a wide range of devices while they were building games. That’s why most online casinos work well on all kinds of mobile devices, including phones and tablets.
The entire online gambling industry is shifting its focus to mobile pokies games. Kiwis, as well as casino lovers around the globe, enjoy the convenience of gambling on the go.
Most of the online casinos adapted their platforms to phones and tablets. Some of them developed apps, while others used HTML5 to adjust their interfaces for mobile browsers.
How can i find Where’s the Gold slot machine online?
More info about this famous Aristocrat slot game, can be found here!
How do we rank the best real money pokies of the month?
The top list of the best pokies of the month consists of two types of games.
One is the classic winners which over time are still favorite games and the other are new reviewed ie tested pokies games.
Throughout the month, we research and test new games to find a new favorite to recommend.
When the month is over, we compile all games both older and new that we think are great to try this month.
From here, we now select 5 older games and 5 newer games that we think are the best right now.
In other words, the top list is ranked according to our own taste based on the pokies we have recently tested and the one`s that we have always liked.
Sources:
- https://www.evolutiongaming.com/who-we-are/our-mission
- https://games.netent.com/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slot_machine
- Online casinos that use Evolution Gaming as game provider
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