Every pokie player wants to know how to tell if a pokie machine is going to pay. Looking at the popularity of a game simply isn’t enough. Players flock to certain slot games for a myriad of reasons – good graphics, exciting gameplay, a cool theme or simply because of word-of-mouth proclaiming that game to be the latest “must play” hot topic in the pokie industry. Nor should you rely on anecdotal evidence. Sure, you may have won the max jackpot at Queen of the Nile that one time, or managed to land 40 free spins playing where the Gold is. But past success is no predictor of future riches. What is needed is a systematic, analytical approach in determining how to tell if a pokie machine is going to pay.
1. Ask other Players or Casino Staff
This is a no-brainer, and should probably be your first go-to tactic. Just ask casino staff which games are running hot and which are running cold; internal regulations usually oblige them to tell you. For online casinos, you can drop the support staff an email. Make sure you scrutinise the data carefully, though – just because a lot of people have been winning at a game the past couple of games does not mean that the game is necessarily a high-paying one. It could just be coincidence. Truly high-paying games will demonstrate that potential over weeks or months, so take a long-term view of things. That’s how to tell if a pokie machine is going to pay!
A perfect example is playing Aristocrat’s 50 Lions pokies at a land based casino. I wanted to know whether it was likely to pay anytime soon and so asked one of the local regulars who happily shared the wins and losses of that machine for the past few hours.
2. Analysing Gameplay Structure
The gameplay structure can also be revealing. One key question is the number of wilds. Wilds are usually the key to pulling off a winning combination – landing a symbol on three reels is hard enough, but five or seven is a tall order. Many contemporary slot games features two or three wild symbols, and their odds of paying will increase correspondingly.
It’s also worth checking if the game adopts a pyramidal structure, whereby increases in bet size produce exponential increases in payout size. These games are more likely to pay dividends over the long run provided you keep your wager size generous.
3. Keeping it Real (Coca Cola Optional)
Ultimately, reading articles on how to tell if a pokie machine is going to pay should not disguise the truth – pokie machines are always designed to make profit off players, meaning they’ve been carefully calibrated to take in more chips than they pay out. Remembering there’s no such thing as a “sure-win” pokie, and trusting in your own skill rather than the generosity of the manufacturer, is vital in any successful pokie career.
