The Best Pokie Strategies for New Zealand Casino Players

Playing pokies is a popular pastime for many Kiwis. You can gamble online or at pubs, clubs or bars throughout NZ. And while most of the time, winning slot games comes down to luck, you can use pokies strategy to increase your chances of winning.

In this article, we’ll explain what steps you can take to help maximise your chances of winning when playing online pokies. We’ll also give some guidance on how to pick a winning pokie machine and additional tips to win for when you next play pokies.

Let’s get started with our top three strategies…

Our Top Strategies for Playing Pokies

If you’re ready to try your luck at online pokies in New Zealand, here are our top three strategies to boost your chances of winning real money.

Maximise the Number of Bets and Paylines

While many people think there’s not much strategy to playing pokies, understanding paylines and maximising your bets can help boost your chances of winning. The more paylines you play, the more potential combinations. Playing all the available paylines on a pokie machine helps ensure you have a better chance of winning.

However, the more paylines you play, the more it costs per spin. So it’s important to choose casino games with a maximum bet you can afford. For example, there’s not much point playing a 25-payline pokie machine if you’re only going to play 3 or 4 reels. It’ll be difficult to win because you’re not covering all the reels.

You also won’t have a chance to win the jackpot because you need to bet the maximum on all paylines to be in with a chance to set off the jackpot.

Obtain Multipliers with the Smallest Value of Coin

A pokie machine will pay out the same regardless of how many coins you bet, but multipliers will increase the amount of coins. For example, if you bet one coin, the multiplier is x1. However, if you bet two coins, your multiplier will change to 2x. The more coins you bet, the higher the multiplier, which can also help you to qualify for the jackpot.

The trick is obtaining the multiplier using the smallest coin value possible, such as 10 cents instead of $2. Select all paylines, bet the maximum amount of coins, but stick to the smallest coins.

This strategy helps you to keep playing for longer and increase your chances of winning the jackpot.

Consider the Volatility of the Pokies

Volatility refers to how much risk is involved with playing a specific pokie machine for real money. When looking at the volatility of online slots, consider the type of player you are. For example, if you enjoy the thrill of winning often, low volatility pokie games are a good option. You can secure more frequent wins, but your payouts will typically be smaller. Look out for plenty of action with free spins, bonus rounds and wilds.

In contrast, high volatility pokies offer bigger payouts, but pay out less often. They don’t usually offer many bonuses or game features. If you’ve got a lot of patience when playing online slots, a high-volatility pokie could be a good option for you.

To find out the volatility of different online slots, you’ll need to do a little research on online forums or blogs, as game providers or online casinos don’t usually reveal them. You can also play and assess how often you win and the payouts’ size to determine whether a specific pokie machine is high or low volatility.

A good way to test without using your own money is to take advantage of free spins and promotional offers. You can test the volatility of different casino games without the risk of losing any money.

Tips on How To Win Using Pokies Strategy

If you’re looking to win big playing pokies games, here are some of our best tips for when you’re playing online casinos.

1. Risk more to win more

Let’s be honest… big risks come with big rewards! The payouts you can expect to generate when playing online pokies will be bigger the more you bet. But obviously, that comes with the risk of potentially losing more.

But there are ways to risk more without risking it all. For example, if you’ve set aside $20 to play at an online casino, look at the value of your bets. Instead of making smaller bets (say 100 bets at 20 cents each), increase the size of your bet to $2 per spin. You’ll get fewer spins and won’t play as long, but you’ve got a higher chance of winning big.

2. Bet the maximum bet allowed

Most of the big jackpot amounts are only available to players who bet the maximum bet allowed on a pokie game. While it will eat up your wagered money faster, larger stakes give you a better chance to hit the jackpot and win more money.

3. Play with the highest paylines

If you want to win on a progressive jackpot machine, make sure you play as many paylines as you can afford. Playing all paylines helps to maximise your chances of winning the jackpot.

4. Consider playing the simplest pokies

Pokies that feature multipliers, lots of paylines, fancy bonuses and have a lot going on actually tend to have lower odds of winning. If you’re looking to win money playing pokies, the best pokies strategy is to play simple-looking casino games. That’s because, usually, the simpler the game, the higher the odds.

We’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite pokies available for NZ players for you to check out.

5. Accept your losses

At the end of the day, playing pokies should be fun. Which is why we recommend accepting your losses and moving on. The more you try to recoup your losses, the more you could end up losing.

Make sure you look out for games that have a low house edge and high Return to Player (RTP) percentage. These types of casino games can help to improve your chances of winning.

6. Know when to stop

Stick to your budget, and when you’re out of money, walk away. Playing online casino games should be fun and entertaining. If it starts to become just about how often you can hit the big jackpots, or if you find your online pokie gambling sessions are eating up your entire bankroll, it’s time to reassess.

If you think your gambling is getting out of control, there are plenty of responsible gambling resources available for Kiwi players.

Extra Tips

Looking for even more tips to help you win big at online pokies? Here are a couple of extra things to consider when you next visit an online casino.

• Make sure you set a budget before you play online slots – and stick to it.
• Don’t ever use gamble with money you don’t have, e.g. using credit or playing with money you’ve set aside for essentials like rent, food shopping or bills.
• Seek out higher denomination games, which typically have a higher payback percentage.
• If you’re on a losing streak, don’t think increasing your bets will turn it around.
• Set a specific time limit for playing at an online casino – otherwise, time can easily slip away, and you end up spending more than you intended.
• Don’t chase your losses.
• Similarly, if you secure big wins (like progressive jackpots), cash out and walk away.
• The payout percentages are typically higher at an online casino, so try playing online instead of in pubs and clubs as a way to win more money. Casinos also typically let you win bigger amounts.
• Avoid playing the pokies if you’ve had too much alcohol, which can impact your judgement when gambling.
• Don’t keep playing pokie machines because a feature hasn’t hit or you’re waiting to hit the jackpot.
• Sign up for a VIP program at an online casino to access free rewards, like free spins and other bonuses.

Pokie Strategies FAQ

What algorithms do pokies machines use?

The common algorithm most modern slot machines use is the random number generator or RNG. The RNG determines when a player wins and how much. Most of the top online casinos use external testers to routinely check their RNG to ensure they offer fair conditions for all players.

Are pokies rigged?

If you’re playing at an online casino that’s licensed and regulated, casinos are required to meet strict regulations and guidelines to ensure that the pokies are fair for all players. That’s why they use external third parties to test and check their games, particularly the Random Number Generator. They’re also required to follow strict protocols and procedures for operating within certain jurisdictions.

Is there a way to predict slot machines?

Slot machines cannot predict individual spins, especially when they’re functioning correctly. They can, however, give a rough estimate of the winning chances. They do this in the order of stating percentages or stating average figures. So players can work out whether they want to play that particular game over another game to help them win money or hit the jackpot!