What the return figure really tells you
Every pokie in the shortlist below carries a published return to player figure. It is an average over millions of spins, not a promise for your session. A game with a higher figure pays back slightly more over that very long run, and that is the whole of it. It does not mean a machine is due, warming up, or ready to pay. Each spin is independent of the last.
Two pokies can share a similar average and feel completely different. Volatility describes how the payouts are spread: high volatility means longer dry spells and larger but rarer wins; medium volatility sits between the two. Neither setting is better for your bankroll in any guaranteed way. It changes the shape of the ride, not the destination.
- In plain terms:Return to player
- Return to player, or RTP, is the average percentage of all money wagered on a pokie that is paid back to players over a very long run. It is a long-run average, so it says nothing about what a single session will return.
Volatility and what it means for your session
A high volatility pokie can eat a balance quickly during a cold run. That is not a fault, it is the design. Games like Floating Dragon and Big Bamboo sit in that group, while Wolf Gold is described as medium volatility and Starburst carries a lower maximum win. If you want longer play from the same stake, a medium volatility game is usually the calmer choice.
The trap is treating volatility as a strategy. Switching games after a bad run does not improve your odds on the next spin, because the next spin does not know what came before. Pick a game and a stake you can afford to lose entirely, then treat anything that comes back as a result, not a plan.
Bonuses change the maths, not the odds
The partner publishes a first deposit bonus of 600% cash, daily cashback of 10% of losses, a minimum deposit of US$20 and a maximum bet on a bonus of A$5. Those terms are worth reading before you deposit. A large bonus sounds generous, but the max bet cap can make it slow to clear, and cashback returns part of what you lost rather than adding to what you won.
A bonus does not improve the return of any pokie on this page. It changes the terms you play under, and sometimes the terms are stricter than the headline. Check the minimum deposit and the max bet before you commit, and treat the bonus as a condition of play rather than a reason to play more than you planned.
The list, in order of return
Here is the shortlist as it appears on the page, with the published figures for each game, in order.
| 1Sweet Bonanza | 96.48% | Medium-High | 21,100x | Pragmatic Play |
| 2Floating Dragon | 96.35% | High | 5,000x | Pragmatic Play |
| 3Big Bamboo | 96.13% | High | — | Push Gaming |
| 4Starburst | 96.08% | — | 800x | NetEnt |
| 5Wolf Gold | 96.01% | Medium | 5,000x | Pragmatic Play |
Select a column heading to sort.
What readers ask about this
Are there real tips to win pokies?
There is no strategy that changes the outcome of a spin. The published return figure is a long-run average, and no sequence of bets moves it in your favour. The only practical tips are about bankroll and terms, not about beating the game.
Does a higher RTP mean I will win more tonight?
Not in any session you will actually play. A higher return figure means slightly more is paid back over millions of spins, which says nothing about the next hour. Short sessions are dominated by variance, not by the average.
What does the max bet on a bonus mean?
The partner caps bonus bets at A$5 per spin. Bet above that while a bonus is active and you can void the bonus and any winnings from it. Read the term before you raise your stake.
Should I switch games after a losing run?
Switching does not improve your chances, because each spin is independent of the ones before it. If you switch, do it because you prefer the game, not because you think a cold machine is due to pay.