How to win on pokies: 11 tips that hold up
No tip beats the RNG, but you can control what each hour costs and how the swings fall. The three that matter most: play the highest RTP version you can find (96.5% instead of 94.5% saves A$20 on every A$1,000 you bet), stake about 1/200 of your session budget on high-volatility pokies, and set your stop points before the first spin.
Updated SafeCasino AU editorial team
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How to win on pokies: what’s in your hands
No tip changes the RNG or the RTP, and over millions of spins the house edge comes out ahead. Anyone selling a system that beats a pokie is selling a myth. What you can change is the cost of each hour and how the swings land in your session:
| You can’t control | You can control |
|---|---|
| The result of any spin | Which pokie, and which RTP version, you play |
| When the feature lands | Your stake, and so how long the budget lasts |
| The house edge | Whether bonus money and prize drops add value |
| Streaks, good or bad | When you stop, up or down |
All 11 tips below work on the right-hand column, and each comes with the number that makes it worth doing. For the mechanics first, how pokies work explains RTP, volatility and the RNG, and the paytable glossary defines terms such as hit rate and ante bet.
Tips 1 to 4: choose the pokie before the stake
1. Read the RTP in the game’s rules
The same pokie can run at different settings. Take Gates of Olympus: it exists in 96.5%, 95.51% and 94.5% versions, and on A$1,000 of bets that’s an average cost of A$35, about A$45 or A$55. The rules or info screen inside the game shows the version you’re on. Our best paying pokies page lists the high-RTP titles.
2. Match volatility to your budget
High-volatility pokies save their return for rarer, bigger features, so they need more spins of runway. Pragmatic Play’s in-game meter makes it easy to compare: Sweet Bonanza at 4 of 5 is a gentler start than Gates of Olympus at 5 of 5. On a small budget, start medium; the online pokies hub groups picks by what you want from a session.
3. Check what the buy and ante modes pay
Feature modes carry their own maths. BGaming lists Aloha King Elvis at 94.98% in normal play but 98.69% and 97.13% for its two free-spin buys, where the buy is offered. Wild West TRUEWAYS goes the other way: its Coin Respin buy without the jackpot returns 92.66%. Gates of Olympus keeps 96.5% with the ante bet on, but its top win falls from 5,000x to 4,000x. The rules screen lists every mode.
4. Demo it until the feature lands
Every game at SafeCasino has a demo mode, so use it to learn how long the feature takes. Belatra puts the Dragon’s Bonanza free games at about 1 in 168 spins, which means a 200-spin demo shows what a real budget has to survive. If the play money runs dry before a feature, your planned stake is too high for that game. Free pokies lists good demos to start with.
Tips 5 to 8: stakes and bonus money
5. Stake about 1/200 of your session budget
On high-volatility pokies, a stake of 1/200 of your budget gives the feature a fair chance to arrive. On medium ones, 1/100 is enough. The bankroll table further down shows how quickly smaller multiples run out.
6. Clear wagering on high-RTP pokies
SafeCasino’s welcome bonus carries x40, so a A$100 bonus needs A$4,000 of pokies bets. The expected cost of that turnover is the turnover times the house edge: about A$132 on Big Bass Bonanza (96.71%) and about A$201 on Aloha King Elvis in normal play (94.98%). Same bonus, A$69 apart. Table and live games count 0%, so they don’t move the counter at all. The wagering requirements guide has a calculator for your own amount.
7. Keep every bet at A$8 or less while a bonus runs
The A$8 cap counts bought features and gamble rounds too. A 100x feature buy therefore only fits at a stake of A$0.08 or less: at A$0.20 it costs A$20, and a breach can cost you the bonus winnings. The bonus buy guide prices the common buys.
8. Play pokies that carry prize drops
Pragmatic Play’s Drops & Wins pays wager-free prizes, and its weekly wheel drops have no minimum bet. Gates of Olympus, Sweet Bonanza, Big Bass Bonanza and Sugar Rush all sit in SafeCasino’s Drops & Wins category, and SafeCasino’s own Prize Drops promise a A$160,000 prize pot on top. It’s extra value on spins you’d make anyway; the prize drops page has the details.
Put tips 1 to 8 to work
Check the RTP and the feature rate in demo, then deposit from A$10 with the welcome card ticked. Each of your first four deposits is matched 100% up to A$1,000.
Tips 9 to 11: stopping well
9. Set a loss limit and a win target before the first spin
Decide both numbers while you’re calm: a A$100 session, for example, ends at A$0 or at A$200, whichever comes first. We couldn’t confirm deposit-limit settings at SafeCasino, so set the budget outside the casino. A prepaid Neosurf voucher caps a deposit at what you paid for it.
10. Verify early so a win isn’t held
Upload photo ID and a bill or bank statement under 90 days old before you need them. SafeCasino says withdrawals may take up to 3 days to process, a pokies win can’t be paid to an Australian card, and your deposit has to be played through 3 times before a withdrawal or processing costs may apply. Sort all three before your target hits, pick an e-wallet or crypto for the payout, and a winning session ends in cash; the withdrawal guide walks through it.
11. Take breaks, and know where the exit is
A timer on your phone is the simplest limit tool there is. If pokies stop being fun, self-exclude through SafeCasino’s 24/7 live chat, or call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858, free and open around the clock. The responsible gambling guide covers both.
Bankroll table: how long your budget lasts
Your budget divided by your stake is the number that matters. Take the two model pokies from our RTP and volatility guide, both at 96% RTP, one steady and one with a 1,000x top prize, and play each at a fixed stake until the budget runs out. We calculated the typical number of spins you’d get:
| Budget in bets | Example | Typical spins, steady pokie | Typical spins, high-volatility pokie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | A$50 at A$2 | About 370 | About 37 |
| 50 | A$50 at A$1 | About 920 | About 80 |
| 100 | A$100 at A$1 | About 2,100 | About 210 |
| 200 | A$100 at A$0.50 | About 4,600 | About 480 |
| 400 | A$200 at A$0.50 | About 9,600 | About 1,080 |
Typical means the median session. Plan on the right-hand column: at 25 bets, half of all high-volatility sessions are over within 37 spins, a few minutes of play. At 200 bets the same kind of pokie lasts about 480 spins, enough to see a feature that triggers every 150 to 200 spins. Here’s what 1/200 and 1/100 look like in dollars:
| Session budget | Stake at 1/200 (high volatility) | Stake at 1/100 (medium) |
|---|---|---|
| A$20 | A$0.10 | A$0.20 |
| A$50 | A$0.25 | A$0.50 |
| A$100 | A$0.50 | A$1 |
| A$200 | A$1 | A$2 |
| A$500 | A$2.50 | A$5 |
| A$1,600 | A$8 | A$16, or A$8 with a bonus |
If the lowest stake a game offers is above your figure, the budget is too small for that game; pick one with a lower minimum or a medium rating.
Myths that cost punters money
“Double your bet after a loss”
The doubling system goes A$1, A$2, A$4, A$8. With a SafeCasino bonus active, the next step of A$16 breaks the A$8 cap, so the system hits the ceiling after four losses, with A$15 gone to chase a A$1 profit. And a pokie win is often less than double the stake, so even a hit may not recover the run.
“Bigger bets get better odds”
A bigger stake scales wins and losses together, and the chance of a hit doesn’t move. A A$5 spin costs 25 times a A$0.20 spin for the same odds.
“A bonus buy is a shortcut to profit”
It’s a shortcut to the feature, not to profit. Buying the free spins on Gates of Olympus 1000 returns 96.49%, against 96.5% in normal play: the same maths, faster and with bigger swings.
“Play longer and you’ll win it back”
The expected loss grows with every spin. At 96% RTP and A$1 a spin, 1,000 spins cost about A$40 on average and 5,000 cost about A$200. Chasing a loss adds spins, and spins add cost.
The best time to play pokies
No hour of the day or day of the week changes a pokie’s results, because the RNG doesn’t read the clock. What the calendar changes is value. Once you’ve made four deposits, SafeCasino runs reloads on Monday (100% up to A$100) and on Wednesday and Friday (100% up to A$100 plus 50 free spins), each from a A$20 deposit with 48 hours to wager. They run on UTC days, which start mid-morning on the east coast; the reload bonus page converts the times.
The other best time is personal: when you’re rested, have a set budget and aren’t trying to win back yesterday. When all of that lines up, open the SafeCasino cashier on a reload day.
Questions Aussies ask
How do you win on pokies?
By luck in the short run; no method changes a pokie's RTP. What you can do is improve your chance of leaving ahead: pick high-RTP versions, match volatility to your budget, stake small enough to last, and stop at a target you set in advance.
What is the best time to play pokies?
There isn't one for results, because the RNG ignores the clock. The calendar only matters for promotions, such as SafeCasino's Monday, Wednesday and Friday reloads once you've made four deposits.
Is there a pokies strategy that works?
Not one that beats the house edge. Betting systems such as doubling after a loss don't change the RTP, and with a SafeCasino bonus active the A$8 bet cap stops a doubling run that starts at A$1 after four losses.
How much should I bet per spin on pokies?
About 1/200 of your session budget on high-volatility pokies, or 1/100 on medium ones. For A$100 that's A$0.50 or A$1 a spin, and never more than A$8 while a bonus is active.
Do bigger bets win more often on pokies?
No. A bigger stake scales wins and losses by the same amount, and the chance of a hit stays the same. A A$5 spin simply costs 25 times what a A$0.20 spin does.
Should I use a casino bonus on pokies?
Yes, if pokies are what you play. At SafeCasino they count 100% toward the x40 wagering while table and live games count 0%, and clearing a A$100 bonus on a 96.71% pokie costs about A$132 on average, against about A$201 at 94.98%.
Play it for real
Double your first deposit and add up to 300 free spins
Every SafeCasino game has a demo mode, so you can learn the features for free first.
Play pokies at SafeCasino- 1 Try the game in demo mode
- 2 Deposit from A$10 (A$200 unlocks the full 300 spins)
- 3 Keep spins at A$8 or less while wagering