How to Play Pokies and Win?: Casinoslots NZ guide

Scan an online casino lobby and you’ll see one type of game that stands hand and shoulders above the rest in terms of quantity and that’s slots. Sometimes known as fruit machines or one-arm bandits, online slots offer the greatest amount of variance in the industry thanks to the thousands of different themes you can access. Indeed, at one end of the spectrum, you’ve got something traditional like 7 Bells with its collection of fruits and bell symbols. At the other end, you’ve got an all-action video slot like Batman that features in-game video clips and clever animations. Then, on top of all this, you’ve got progressive jackpot games where you can win upwards of $1 million from a single spin.

Basically, if you’re in the market for high octane action, a variety of different styles and, of course, an easy way to win a lot of money, online slots are perfect. However, as simple as it is to hit the “spin” button, there are a few things you need to know before you ante up. Now, we’re not saying the next few paragraphs are going to contain a myriad of complex information. However, it will cover some basic features and processes you’ll need to understand if you’re going to spin in a win. So, with that in mind, here’s the Casinoslots NZ guide to playing online slots.

Related guides:

• Online Pokies Reviews for NZ

The Buttons NZ

Although each online slot machine will have its own design and layout, there are some common buttons you’ll find across the genre. Once you’re familiar with the following, you shouldn’t have any problems moving from one game to another and clicking the right options:

Coin Size: This button refers to the size of a single bet. It’s known as a coin because it would have been the value of a single coin needed to start a mechanical slot machine back in the day. When you ante up with us, the coin size will be the amount you’re betting on a single payline.

Coins: After setting your coin size, some online slots will allow you to wager more than one coin per payline. For example, if you set the coin size to $0.10 and the number of coins to 1, you would be risking $0.10 on a single payline. However, if you adjusted the number of coins to 4, you’d be wagering $0.40 per payline.

Paylines: Some online slots allow you to adjust the number of active paylines in play. An active payline runs from left to right, which means that any three (sometimes two) matching symbols starting on the far left of an active payline will unlock a prize. The more paylines you activate, the greater your chances of winning are. However, it’s important to note that you’ll be betting at least one coin per payline. So, the more you activate, the more you’ll pay per spin.

Bet/Spin: This is the button that sets the reels in motion. After you’ve played around with the other options and you’re ready to match some symbols to win a prize, you hit the bet/spin button.
* It’s important to note that online slots will feature some or all of these options, so don’t be surprised if you don’t see every single one of these buttons in play.

The Features

Once you’re spinning your way towards a win, the next thing you need to be aware of is that online slot machines also have special features. Sitting alongside the main payouts, these features basically give you another way to bank a prize. In general, these features are broken down into the following categories and are unlocked by rolling in a certain number of bonus symbols, wilds or scatters:

Free Spins: As the name suggests, a free spins bonus is a feature that will turn the reels without taking money from your balance. During a free spins bonus, you’ll usually receive some form of our wild bonus and/or multipliers (see below).

Wild Bonus: Wild symbols are ones that can substitute for any other symbols in the game. During a standard spin, wilds can be used to create a winning combination. During a bonus round, wilds can expand across certain reels, stick in place or ever turn other symbols into wilds as part of a special feature.

Multipliers: If you roll in a win and a multiplier as part of the mix, you’ll increase your prize. For example, if you’ve activated a bonus round with a 5x multiplier and rolled in a $10 win, you’d actually receive $50.

Mini-Game: Certain slots allow you to play a mini-game as a bonus round. This could be something as simple as choosing whether the next number in a sequence is going to be higher or lower than the last or taking on some sort of arcade-style mini-game. At the end of the mini-game, you’ll have collected a selection of prizes which are then added to your total balance.

The Payouts

The final thing you need to know before you hit the spin button is the payout table. As we’ve said, you can win thousands, even millions, when you bet as little as $0.10 on our top online slots. However, when you read a payout table, that might not always be obvious. If you’re playing a progressive jackpot slot, the main prize is often scrolled across the top of the game like a live counter. In contrast, when it comes to standard payouts, the numbers shown often look like this: 100x.In simple terms, these numbers are a multiple of your line bet (coin size + coins). For example, if you were betting $1 per payline and rolled in a 100x win, you’d bank $100. So, as long as you can do some simple maths, you shouldn’t have any trouble working out your wins. In fact, as you can see from the features we’ve outlined above, the whole process of playing online slots is fairly straightforward. As long as you can understand the basics functions, bet at a level that you can afford and know what symbols you need to match, everything will fall into place and, hopefully, you’ll spin in some wins. Now that you know the basics, head on over to our slots lobby and get started on some great slots games on NZ online casinos.

Slot machines, or pokies, would have to be one of the most entertaining and the most popular forms of gaming in the world. Not restricted to large gaming floors in major casinos, you can find gaming machines in many pubs and clubs as well as the smaller casino, or naturally on the Internet. It’s well-known that these machines can also be one of the most addictive forms of gaming. That is why it’s a good idea to know your limits. Recognising these is not easy at times, but the more you are aware of yourself and your surroundings, the more enjoyable sitting down to your favorite game will be!

Here are a few tips and tricks to have the most enjoyable gaming experience possible. Only guidelines, as there is no way to beat the pokies system, chance and luck have a lot to do with a night at the machines. Just remember to have a good time and go for a win!

Pokies Strategies and Hacks

Spin limits

Keep it fresh! – If you aren’t winning anything after eight to ten spins move on to another machine or try free pokie games. Sometimes a change of scenery, or game, is all that is required for a new outlook and energy to win. You can always go back to your favorite game after you’ve played another.

Keep it real – naturally, you’ll probably want to have a couple of drinks, as it’s nice to have a bit of a buzz when you win, but best to not overdo it whilst parked in front of the pokies. A clear head makes for a more alert you and a better experience on the gaming floor.

Keep it cool – if you find you are getting pissed off at a machine, the circumstance or lack of payout, best to take a deep breath and move on. You may find yourself getting angry at a machine, or sometimes a neighboring player can rub you the wrong way. They may get a bit ‘shouty’ at their own machine, be smoking cigarettes or a cigar, or they keep winning and you don’t. Remove yourself from the area, and play on another machine.

When to play

Happy – One of the best times to play is when you are feeling happy. Heading to the gaming floor when you are already in a bad mood will only increase the negativity surrounding you.

Hungry – Do not play when you have mouths to feed: yours or your children’s. Kids can get expensive and there are many surprise costs that come about, best to have that money for the really important stuff and keep your bellies full first. Plus, it’s rather distracting to play when your tummy is rumbling!

Flush – Obviously, no one wants to play with money they don’t have. Play only when you have the extra cash around, as not to dig a deeper hole to climb out of. Gaming is a form of entertainment, so it’s a good idea to treat it as one. Leave the credit cards at home and bring what you can afford.

Where to play

Your faves – Generally, best to play in an establishment that is familiar to you. Your local club or pub where you may regularly drink or eat, or play is your best bet. Or if you are heading to a larger casino, take a mate along as a play buddy for the night. This way people like your friends, staff, or other players, know who you are, and may even be able to help you out if you find yourself in a pickle.

Your foes – Playing somewhere for the first time, like at a rival club to your local perhaps? There’s always a period of getting to know the place, the machines, the system, the beers. First time at a new establishment, take a buddy and have a good time. Your second visit will be better for playing in real online pokies. The third and the fourth time will be like the best moments of your life.

Even though they were invented in the early 1900’s in the USA, pokie machines weren’t introduced into Australia until 1955, and then legalized one year later. They were the old kind, slot machines, where you pull the lever and watch the reels spin. The mid-1980’s brought in the video slot machines and the face of gaming in registered clubs in this country was changed dramatically.

New Zealand loves their pokies. We even invented the slang name ‘pokies’! Nowhere else in the world are they referred to as such, in fact, if you called them that in Las Vegas they’d look at you very strangely. Best to go by their standard name, ‘slots’ or ‘slot machines’.

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