This guide is part of our list of the best online casinos in Australia and lists the best paying online pokies, explains why the same pokie can pay less at one casino than another, and shows how to check a pokie’s RTP before you play.
What are the highest payout pokies?
The highest payout pokies are the ones with the highest published RTP. RTP is the share of all money bet on a pokie that it pays back over millions of spins. A pokie with 99% RTP returns A$99 for every A$100 wagered across that huge sample, on average, while a 96% pokie returns A$96.
These are the best paying online pokies by their highest published RTP:
Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest are not top payers, but they are useful benchmarks: around 96% is the average for a modern pokie. Anything above 97% is very good.
Some of these games have unusual rules. Mega Joker only reaches its top RTP in its “supermeter” mode at higher stakes, and Ugga Bugga lets you hold reels between spins. Check each game’s rules screen before you play.
How much more do high-RTP pokies pay back?
A few percentage points of RTP make a real difference over many spins. This is what different RTPs cost you on average for every A$1,000 you bet:
A$1,000 sounds like a lot, but it is only 1,000 spins at A$1, or 5,000 spins at A$0.20. Over a few long sessions, a 99% pokie costs a quarter of what a 96% pokie does on average.
Why does the same pokie pay less at some casinos?
Many pokies are released in several RTP versions, and each casino chooses which one to run. A popular pokie might come in versions from about 87% to 96%, all with identical graphics and features. Nothing on the screen shows the difference except the RTP figure in the game’s info or rules page.
That means the “highest payout pokies” list only helps if your casino runs the top version:
- Casino A runs the 96% version: A$40 average cost per A$1,000 wagered.
- Casino B runs the 94% version: A$60 average cost per A$1,000 wagered.
- Casino C runs the 91% version: A$90 average cost per A$1,000 wagered.
Our guide to best payout casinos in Australia explains how to find casinos that are open about which versions they run.
How do you check a pokie’s RTP?
Check a pokie’s RTP before your first spin:
- Open the info screen: most pokies show the RTP in the paytable, the “i” menu or the game rules.
- Read the exact figure: some games list one figure, others list separate figures for features such as bonus buys.
- Compare with the provider’s figure: if your casino’s version is lower than the provider’s top figure, it runs a reduced version.
- Decide: pick another pokie, or play the same pokie at a casino that runs the higher version.
If a casino shows no RTP figures at all, treat that as a warning sign.
Do jackpot pokies pay out more?
No. Progressive jackpot pokies usually have a lower RTP than regular pokies, because part of every bet feeds the jackpot. The headline prize is huge, but the chance of winning it is tiny, so most of the time you are playing a low-RTP game.
Divine Fortune and Mega Fortune pay back almost as much as an average pokie, while Mega Moolah costs about three times as much per spin on average as a 96% pokie. If you play jackpot pokies, treat the jackpot as a lottery ticket and keep the stakes small.
What is the difference between RTP, volatility and hit frequency?
RTP, volatility and hit frequency describe different things:
- RTP: how much the pokie pays back over the long run.
- Volatility: how the payouts are spread. Low volatility pays small wins often, high volatility pays big wins rarely.
- Hit frequency: how often a spin returns any win at all, often 20% to 35% of spins.
Two pokies with the same 96% RTP can feel completely different. A low volatility pokie with a high hit frequency keeps a small balance alive longer, while a high volatility pokie can go hundreds of spins without a big win. Match volatility to your budget. Our guide on how to win on pokies explains both in more detail.
Do bonus buy pokies have a higher RTP?
Sometimes, but not always. Many bonus buy pokies list a separate RTP for the bought feature, which can be slightly higher or lower than the base game. A bought bonus also costs 50 to 100 times your stake in one go, so your balance swings much harder. Check the info screen for both figures before you use the buy feature, and remember that many casinos exclude bonus buys from bonus wagering.
How do online pokies compare with pokies in pubs and clubs?
Online pokies usually pay back more than poker machines in Australian pubs and clubs. In Queensland, machines in clubs and hotels are set to return between 85% and 92%, with a minimum of 85%. In Victoria, venues and the casino must return at least 87% of the total amount bet each year.
Most online pokies sit between 94% and 97%, and the best go above 98%. The trade-off is that online casinos that accept Australians are offshore sites, so the operator’s licence and payout record matter more. Our guide on whether online gambling is legal in Australia explains the rules: the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 bans operators from offering online casino games to Australians, but playing is not an offence for you as a player.
Are online pokies rigged?
Pokies from reputable providers are not rigged, but every pokie has a built-in house edge. Each spin is decided by a random number generator (RNG), and past spins do not affect the next one, so no pokie is ever “due” to pay out. Independent labs such as eCOGRA, iTech Labs and GLI test the RNG and RTP of games from licensed providers.
The real risk is the casino, not the pokie. An unlicensed casino can run reduced RTP versions, hide RTP figures or delay withdrawals. Our guide to safe online casinos in Australia shows what to check.
Which types of pokies pay out the most?
The type of pokie gives a rough guide to its RTP, though each game sets its own figure:
Classic pokies are the best place to look for very high RTP, while jackpot pokies are the lowest on average.
How did we choose these pokies?
We listed pokies that are widely available at casinos that accept Australians and whose providers publish an RTP figure. Each RTP in this guide is the highest version the provider publishes, rounded, and taken from game information screens and a public slot database. We left out pokies that are only available at one casino, and we do not rank games by bonus features or graphics, only by how much they pay back.
How do you get the most from high payout pokies?
Five habits make high-RTP pokies work for you:
- Check the RTP at your casino: not just the provider’s headline figure.
- Prefer 97% or more: and avoid pokies below 94% unless you are deliberately chasing a jackpot.
- Match volatility to your budget: low volatility for small balances, high volatility only if you can afford long losing runs.
- Try the demo first: most pokies can be played for free, which shows you how often they pay.
- Watch bonus terms: wagering, excluded games and maximum bets can cost more than a high RTP saves.
Our guide to casino bonuses explains how wagering affects what you can withdraw.
Where can you play the highest payout pokies?
Most casinos that accept Australians offer pokies from NetEnt, Playtech, Relax Gaming, Thunderkick and NextGen, but not every casino carries every title or runs the highest RTP version. Choose a casino that shows RTP figures in its games and pays out quickly, so a win reaches your bank without delay. Our list of fast payout casinos in Australia shows measured payout times, and our guide to PayID casinos covers the quickest way to cash out in AUD.
How can you play pokies responsibly?
A high RTP lowers the average cost of playing, but every pokie still has a house edge, so you lose money over time. Set a deposit limit and a time limit in your casino account before you play, take breaks and never chase losses. BetStop does not cover offshore casinos, so use each casino’s own self-exclusion tool if you need a break.
Our guide on how to stop gambling lists the tools that work at offshore sites. If gambling stops being fun, Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.
