Online Pokies for Real Money in Australia 2023

Play the very best Australian online pokies for real money and find out everything you need to know to succeed in this gambling business. You are in the right place: on our website, you can not only find the most popular pokie games – there are plenty of other things to do here. Test real money online pokies for free before depositing some cash, read all about the pokie mechanics and rules, find out where and how to find the best online pokies in Australia, and what to do to win when playing online pokies… After that, armed with knowledge and experience (if you choose to play all our pokies in their free demos), you’ll be ready to join our Pokiesurf casino community, play online pokies for real money in Australia, enjoy the whole process, and win.

Best Real Money Pokies Australia

If you are looking to play the true best real money pokies in Australia at an online casino (and who isn’t, right?), we suggest you choose a game that ticks all the boxes below:

Aussies might think that real money online pokies only exist in Australia, and they will be partly right. The word “pokies” comes from Australia, and it is derived from the phrase “poker machine”: the Aussies love to add suffix -ie to many nouns when they have a special warm feeling toward a notion or a thing.

But what does an online pokie (or slot) have to do with poker, you’ll ask. And how does all that connect to types of real money online pokies? It’s all connected, we promise. We’ll tell you right here right now, and the first thing to do is to take a look back. First stop – the 1980s.

A Brief Recap of Pokie History

At the dawn of the pokies’ days, they were called poker machines because their display had 5 playing cards, and the point of spinning the reels was to collect a poker hand – the higher the possible. That was what paid out in the very beginning, and that’s the memory the word “pokie” has saved and brought to today.

Let’s look at how the history of real money slot machines has been unfolding and developing from there:

So, the very first one-armed bandits that appeared at pubs, and not casinos, (including the iconic Liberty Bell – believed to be the parent of all the other slot machines) with poker cards rotating on its reels were the inspiration of the whole gambling industry. If players needed to rotate playing cards and collect poker games first, today the images spinning on the reels can blow your mind with the diversity of themes and crispiness of the image.

The very first poker machines used to pay out candies of different fruit flavors — that was how fruit machines (both the term and the mechanism) appeared. Even if you are living your best digital-age life, you can still feel the vibe of the first poker machines if you choose to play those old-school 3-reel online pokies real money.

3-reel pokies (classic slots) for real money

As the name in the heading suggests, their first defining feature is the minimum number of reels. Yes, there can’t be fewer than 3 for a slot machine to work. Surprisingly, the simplification came later than the first one-armed bandits had spread their plume of popularity. The very first poker machines used to have 5 reels as they had to display 5 playing cards necessary to build a poker hand.

3 reels came with fruit and classic casino symbols – lucky 7s, horseshoes, bells, and bars. So, these machines have a limited number of symbol combinations, very few paylines (from 1 to 9), and a high predictability potential. That’s why playing pokies online or offline of this kind comes with rather moderate but regular payouts and super simple gameplay. Speaking of their today’s virtual representation, they tend to feature classic bonuses, and not many of them too: free spins, multipliers, scatters, sometimes a gamble game or a pick-me bonus, or none of them. Hence, simple and straightforward mechanics paired with bold traditional design. It all makes them popular and suitable for novice gamblers and old-time reminiscing players.

If you are one of them, you could have fun playing games from this list:

1. Triple Diamond by IGT – a 3-reel, 9-payline online pokie featuring bars, 7s, and diamond symbols, free spin bonuses, with the latter of them bringing the biggest wins.
2. Double Diamond by IGT – another straightforward and simplistic online pokies with the visuals of the 21st century and fun free spin features.
3. Break Da Bank by Microgaming – another old-school sample featuring bar symbols, dollar signs, and a wild symbol as a sweet extra with the power of 2x and 4x the winnings of a successful spin.
4. Couch Potato by Microgaming – with 3 reels and one single payline, this classic fruit machine introduced in the virtual gambling reality, has a wild symbol and the ability to captivate players still.
5. Fruit Duel by Hacksaw Gaming – a 3-reel, 17-payline slot game with a cute cartoonish design and a unique Duel Reel mechanic that turns a reel into a wild multiplier. Talk about contemporary classics!
6. Misery Mining by Nolimit City – the classic slot with a contemporary make-over will take you on a quirky mining adventure and give you a chance to transform a 3x3 grid into a 7x7 with the help of its unique expanding symbol.

Real-money pokies with 3 reels are still super popular and they always have a corner to occupy in the best online casinos and land-based casinos.

5-reel pokies for real money (video slots)

These casino pokies are more complex. They appeared and got extensive growth after the mechanics of traditional land-based slot machines were mixed with video advancements – somewhere in the second half of the 20th century. Now, they are the most popular pokie type online and offline. And not just the most searched-after, but also the most numerous, with piles of them being released every month.

Don’t know where to start? We’ll suggest a couple of options for you:

1. Jurassic Park, Game of Thrones, and Narcos – specially for movie lovers. These video pokies are developed with themes mirroring popular films and TV series. They also have bonus rounds and a no pay line feature which adds a modern twist to traditional paylines.
2. Fishin' Frenzy Megaways by Blueprint Gaming – a video slot with 15,000+ paylines, fun bonus rounds, and a maximum potential payout of 10,000x. Can you believe it?! Talk about diversity and excitement…
3. Royal Reels by Betsoft Gaming takes players into a royal setting with symbols of crowns, jewels, and juicy fruits​. The software developer has given the classic slot game a modern and crispy look.
4. Immortal Romance from Microgaming – the video slot is not for the faint-hearted. It tickles the nerves and our mystical side as the story revolves around vampires​.
5. King Kong Fury by NextGen – this 5-reel and 50-payline pokie with bonus rounds will take you to Skull Island – the place for a battle… against dinosaurs. The fun theme and the engaging gameplay have captivated many gamblers. Maybe you’ll be next?
6. Monopoly Megaways by Big Time Gaming. Yes, the video slot is based on the famous Hasbro board game. But in the form of a video slot, it has incorporated 117,546 ways to win spread all over 6 reels. Fun extras are the thing of the game – no doubt: numerous multipliers, cascading reels, and even symbol swaps​ are promised to anyone who dares to play​.

The motto of the video slots and 5-reel pokies is the more the better: the more diverse themes – the better, the more features and paylines – the more fun. So, if this is what you are looking for when choosing a pokie game, now we think you know where to find all that.

6-, 7-reel pokies and more – modern editions

Just like 5-reel video slots were a revelation of the past century, 6- and 7-reel pokies are a contemporary innovation. They are even more complex, engaging, and entertaining as they offer more ways to win real money and more intricate gameplay. Sounds intriguing? Why not try some of the best titles?

1. Zeus 3 by WMS – a mythology-themed 6-reel pokie machine with 192 paylines. The most fun part comes with wild free spins that can trigger 10x – 50x multipliers​.
2. Primal Megaways by Blueprint Gaming is known for its high-quality graphics and the potential to win real money up to x50,000​.
3. Red Flag Fleet by WMS Gaming is designed to capture pirates-in-heart. It also boasts a unique pyramid layout of reels from 2 to 7.
4. Germinator by Microgaming – probably the most outstanding out of the 4 we’ve mentioned here — thanks to its humorous theme. With this pokie you will travel to…the universe of germs. How about that? In addition to that: a square 6x6 grid, various bonuses, and cascading reels.

We are sure that software developers won’t stop here, and we are sure to see an even greater number of reels soon.

3D pokies

Some casino game developers have implemented excellent 3d graphics into their online pokies games. If you want to bring your gaming experience to the next level, try one of these top 3D pokie games: Vendetta, and McMurphy’s Slots by Microgaming 3D, BetSoft, and Rival Gaming 3D; 2Can, A Night of Mystery, Gonzo's Quest, A Switch in Time by Yggdrasil; White Orchid, Dragon’s Myth, and Hot Shot Progressive by Slotorama.

Multiplayer pokies

Yes, popular online pokies real money have become an interactive video game! Share your gaming experience with infatuated aficionados like you or invite your friends. Get into virtual gambling rooms, talk in real time, share your success stories and strategies, beat the other teams in pokie tournaments, and join forces to win real money accumulative jackpots. All these things are at your fingertips thanks to multiplayer pokies available online.

You can start your fun adventure with the following multiplayer pokie games: Isis Multiplayer, Wheel of Wealth, Avalon, Centre Court, Terminator 3, Sure Win, Playboy, Mermaid Millions, Buffalo Blitz Live Slots, and MultiPlayer 4 Player.

Branded Pokies

Online pokies dedicated to a popular theme, brand, media/social event, or character. These pokie games hop on trendy topics and receive their share of admiration and fans’ love. Top examples include House of Doom by Play’n GO, NetEnt’s Planet of the Apes, Guns ‘n Roses, and Jumanji, Microgaming’s Lara Croft, and even Monopoly and Cluedo themed games. There are even a couple of pokie games dedicated to famous people – Ellen DeGeneres and Hillary Clinton, for instance.

Cascading (Avalanche) reel pokies

Another innovation in the mechanics of pokie machines that, as they say, found its way to the gambling world in 2010 when NetEnt released its gem – Gonzo’s Quest online slot. The game was pivotal: after its introduction, many other developers launched something resembling a mix of everyone’s favs – where you had to break some kind of blocks to win and gamblers’ beloved best online pokies.

So, the Avalanche (Collapsing or Cascading) reel is a shift from a traditional pokie reel: they are blocks of symbols that disappear after a winning spin. New symbols fall down and take their places after that.

If you’ve never tried playing on cascading reels, in addition to NetEnt’s Gonzo’s Quest, you can check out these most popular pokies with the Avalanche feature:

• Tahiti Gold by ELK Studios;
• Esqueleto Explosivo 2 by Thunderkick;
• Gem Rocks by Yggdrasil Gaming;
• Wild Cauldron by Quickspin;
• Bonanza by Big Time Gaming;
• Monopoly Megaways (Big Time Gaming);
• Reactoonz 2 (Play’n GO).

Cascading reels have proved to add to the engagement, unpredictability, and even aesthetics of online gaming.

Megaways Pokies

Megaways is another revolutionary implementation added to slot mechanics that was invented in 2015-2016. Before the Megaways feature was introduced by the company Big Time Gaming (Australian-born and raised, btw), all the reels had occupied their own fixed spots on a virtual slot machine. They were there and they were rotating around their fixed axis.

Megaways made the reels dynamic: they got the ability to shrink or expand, changing the number of symbols per spin. Hence, more innovative gameplay, many more paylines, and bigger winning potentials. For example, a Megaways slot can have up to 117,000+ ways to win real money and 243 paylines on a standard 5x3 grid.

Game developers dug the idea of expanding reels and started adding this feature to their real money games. Here are just a couple of honorable mentions:

• Skol Branded Megaways (Iron Dog Studio);
• Bonanza Megaways (Big Time Gaming);
• Gonzo’s Quest Megaways (Red Tiger Gaming);
• Age of the Gods: King of Olympus Megaways;
• Wheel of Fortune Megaways;
• The Pig Wizard Megaways;
• The Dog House Megaways (Pragmatic Play);
• Montezuma Megaways;
• Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways (Blueprint Gaming);
• Medusa Megaways (NextGen Gaming).

Bored with the classics – go with the Megaways pokies at your favourite casinos, and you will not remember the “B” word again.

Jackpot Pokies

All the pokies work in the same way at all the casinos: they pay out for the right combination of symbols. However, when playing some of them all your winnings will come as a sum of each individual winning spin, and in others – there are predetermined prizes – jackpots. Everyone’s dream, aren’t they?

Pokies with fixed jackpots

Online pokies real money like Divine Fortune (NetEnt), Sisters of Oz (WowPot), Miami Jackpots (RTG) have a fixed jackpot. They tell you in advance what amount of coins/dollars/cents you are going to get with every winning combination. This information is always displayed in the game’s rules, so never forget to check them out before starting to play. Plus, there can be the biggest prize a player can receive for triggering a certain combination. And these prizes are fixed. There can be one jackpot in one game, or a few of them: oftentimes, you can find the so-called “mini”, “medium”, and “mega” jackpots.

Progressive jackpot pokies

In contrast to the fixed jackpots we talked about a moment ago, progressive jackpots are far from being fixed. And that’s why gamblers love them so much: they can grow for quite some time and reach impressive sums.

How is this possible, you’d ask. Simple. Progressive jackpot pokies are not stand-alone machines (or their virtual copies): they are nets of connected games. And every player who plays this game gets connected to the net: the money he or she wagers during the gameplay goes to one huge pool – and that’s where the progressive jackpot pool grows. All the players across different casinos participate in building one progressive jackpot by spending their money on the game. And at one point that growing prize will jump right into the hands of one lucky duck – the person who triggers the jackpot at the right time. Some companies set deadlines and hint at when their progressive slot machine will release the jackpot, sometimes even that doesn’t happen, and the winner gets the jackpot out of the blue.

All the records in online and offline payouts are, of course, set by progressive slot machines. Experienced gamblers know the names of “millionaire-makers” by heart:

Yes, progressive jackpots look like a super attractive way to win big, but at the same time, they are the most unpredictable and high-volatile games on the market. The chances of winning these huge jackpots are something around 1 in 50-60 million. Have fun but always stay reasonable.

How to Choose the Best Real Money Online Pokies

Choosing the best real money pokies to play online is the question of cyber safety and a conscious attitude towards gambling more than anything else. It’s also crucial to stay informed. We’ve summarized all these principles and offer them to you here.

How to Find the Best Real Money Pokies in Australia 2023?

In 2023 Australian players together with other online gamblers all across the globe are definitely spoilt by the gigantic game choice provided to us by the online casino world. So, the important thing here is to keep your head cool and stay in control remembering what gambling and games of chance are all about.

Get into the right mindset

Yeah, you’ve heard us right. The first thing to do to enjoy real money pokies is to understand why you want to gamble and what you are looking to get from playing this game. Got it? Only after that should you proceed to the next step.

Pump yourself up with knowledge

Here, please, read on both mechanics of gambling games, and understand how slot machines and their online incarnations work – get into the gambling essence. You need a grasp of RTPs, House Edge, slot volatility, paylines, pokie bonuses, and other game bonus features before you start playing. Btw, we’re gonna get deep into detail on all these issues in our next section. So, read on!

Find a secure place for playing real money pokies online

This is archi-important when you deposit your own cash somewhere on the Internet and hope to win real money back. When choosing a website for online gambling in Australia, the licensed online casino must check all the boxes concerning cyber and financial safety.

Test the waters – play free online pokies first

The most trustworthy Australian online casinos offer free online pokies in their demo mode, and most often – even without registration to complete. For new pokies players, this step is a must. They can see which free pokies games suit them best and get to know the whole process in reality rather than on paper. Don’t skip free pokie games if you consider yourself a true veteran of online gambling either. Playing free online pokies is your way to check out the casino website and its reliability.

Start small

When you are sure that the website you’ve found is safe and the customer support is really supportive, transfer a minimum deposit (yeah, start small: there will be a chance to go big, don’t worry) and start playing Australian online pokies you love. And again, don’t go crazy from the very beginning: practice the small steps tactic and employ responsible gambling principles.

Play for fun, not for money

Whatever you do after entering the realm of pokies and other gambling games, never treat them as a way to earn cash. It’s entertainment and it is meant to remain a fun activity. Only in this case, real money online pokies in Australia are bound to be fun, only fun, and nothing but fun.

How to Play Online Pokies for Real Money

Despite what many people believe (that success in online or offline gambling comes to those who have uncovered secret pokie/roulette/blackjack/etc. strategy which is usually a mix of math, superstitions, and witchcraft), winnings at games of chance like slot machines come to those who take care of cyber safety, sets impenetrable limits on time and spendings, and never gets carried away. That’s why we suggest you stick to this algorithm when choosing a pokie game.

1. Understand the Paytable

Knowledge is power. Always, in any area of our lives, and games of chance are not an exception. We’ll explain the A-B-C of slot machines right here, so keep reading.

Scatters

Scatters are special symbols that have an extraordinary function – to unlock the game’s extras, bonuses, and other exclusive features. Scatter symbols don't adhere to any specific sequence; they pop up randomly and they don’t need to build a combination. Their mere presence on the spinning reels is sufficient to unlock perks like complimentary free spins.

Wilds

Think of Wild Symbols as the slot machine's ultimate chameleon — they are shape-shifters that can stand in for nearly any other symbol. And when they fall down and take another symbol’s place, they can be handy as they might complete a winning combination and contribute to your winning. Occasionally, they come with a cherry on top: they can 2x a payout or bring some other extras.

Bonus Multipliers (Modifiers)

Multipliers add some more fun to the process. Their job is to magnify your winnings by 2, 3, 4,...25 times, or even more. They can be activated by special symbols or a rare sequence of symbols.

Respins

Respins (Free Spins) in pokies say – great job playing pokies, get a complimentary spin as a pleasant extra. They are awarded after specific triggers, such as a particular symbol or symbol combination. They don’t require an additional bet.

Paylines

Paylines are the programmed patterns (or paths) across the reels where your matching symbols should align for a win. While classic real money slots stick to a fixed number of paylines – from 1 to 25, as a rule, contemporary versions have evolved to feature multiple paylines, offering many more opportunities for a win.

Ways to win

Moving away from conventional paylines, some advanced pokie machines introduce the concept of 'Ways to Win.' Here, a win is determined by matching symbols landing on neighboring reels, potentially offering hundreds or even thousands of unique winning configurations. So, a winning combination is not necessarily a line – it can be just a certain group of symbols.

Win Anywhere Feature

This revolutionary concept defies the traditional left-to-right rule for forming winning combinations. With the 'Win Anywhere' feature, you can score wins starting from any reel—be it the center, left, or right, opening up a world of possibilities.

Cluster Pays

Cluster Pays diverge from traditional paylines by rewarding players for gathering a group of identical symbols. The larger the cluster, the bigger the win, providing yet another engaging way to play.

Hold and Win Feature

This feature empowers you to lock in select symbols while giving the remaining reels another go. This not only boosts your chances of striking a winning combo but could also be your ticket to activating an exclusive bonus.

2. Know Your Buttons

Now, as you know the insides of a pokie machine, it’s time to move to the outside of the mechanism. Let’s talk about buttons that you will see on your screen after choosing a pokie game.

Autoplay

The Autoplay feature allows you to pre-set a specific count of spins that will roll automatically, eliminating the need to continuously press the 'Spin' button.

Coins / Credits

Your Coins or Credits display reveals the remaining balance you have to play and allows you to decide the number of coins or credits you wish to wager for each spin.

Adjust the bet

The 'Adjust the Bet' function allows you to modify the amount you're wagering per spin. Whether you want to amp up the stakes or play real money pokies safe, this feature lets you fine-tune the risk-to-reward ratio according to your personal preferences.

Adjust the number of paylines

The option to modify the number of paylines you're betting on offers yet another layer of strategic depth. Opting for a greater number of paylines naturally elevates your odds of striking it big but at a higher cost. Conversely, reducing the number of paylines makes for a more budget-friendly game but lowers your winning prospects.

3. Consider the game mechanics

So, the features of every online pokie that have something to do with its real money payouts are RTP and volatility. Why are they important?

We’d say that they are, of course, important, and you should check them out before you start spinning the reels and play online pokies for real money Australia, but they are not as crucial as they are PRed.

And yet, before you get to play real money pokies, why not look into RTP percentage?

RTP in pokies for real money

RTP (Return to Player Percentage) is the other side of the house edge. For example, if a pokie has an RTP of 90%, over a long time (up to a million spins overall), for every $100 wagered, $90 will be returned to the players – they will receive them as their winnings, while the casino will keep $10.

Online pokies Australia with High RTP:

• Guns N’ Roses by NetEnt – 96.98%;
• Jimi Hendrix by NetEnt – 96.90%;
• Immortal Romance by Microgaming – 96.86%;
• Dead or Alive 2 by NetEnt – 96.80%;
• Who Wants to be a Millionaire by Big Time Gaming – 96.24%;
• Book of Dead by Play’n Go – 96.21%​1​;
• Goblin’s Cave by Playtech – 99.32%​.

❗RTP is a general parameter, not an individual. It doesn’t show you how much you are going to get from each wager spent on a pokie game. The percentage is spread among thousands of your peer gamers. So, a higher RTP is a nice sign for a player, but it is not definitive.

Volatility (variance) of pokie machines

That’s not enough to consider RTP only when evaluating an online or offline pokie game. Volatility (Variance) also shapes the whole gameplay. You can find pokie games of

• high volatility (variance) – payouts are hard to predict, they are rare, but extensive.
• low volatility – payouts are moderate but kind of regular;
• and medium volatility – somewhat in-between the first two.

Choosing a pokie variance is not about jackpots and payouts, it’s more a question of your gambling style and reasons for playing pokies online. If 2 online pokies have the same RTP, but the first one is highly volatile, and the second one has exceptionally low volatility, your gambling experience will be super different.

4. Register at an online casino Australia

Start by signing up with a reputable online casino that accepts Australian players. The registration process usually involves providing basic personal information and verifying your account through an email link.

5. Play Free Online Pokies Australia

Before diving into real money gaming, familiarize yourself with the ropes by playing free pokies. These demo versions (free games) allow you to grasp the game mechanics and features without risking your hard-earned cash.

Real Money vs Free Pokies:

6. Deposit real money

When you pick slots to play for real money and hope to win some of it back, you have to make a minimum deposit first. Thanks to the digital era we live in, it’s easier to transfer money from your bank account online than do it offline today. Just never forget about staying safe.

Popular Australian deposit & withdrawal methods:

7. Place your wager

Once you're comfortable and ready for the real deal, head to the betting options. Use the 'Adjust the Bet' feature to set the amount you're willing to stake for each spin, thereby customizing your gameplay to fit your budget and risk tolerance.

8. Withdraw your winnings

After accumulating wins, it's time to cash out. Navigate to the casino's withdrawal section, select your preferred payment method, and initiate the withdrawal process. Make sure to comply with any verification procedures to ensure a smooth transaction.

Real Money Pokie Bonuses

You should differentiate between 2 types of bonuses – the extras coming from a casino (like a welcome bonus or a deposit bonus to play games), no matter which game you choose for playing pokies online, and the special features programmed into the games offered by their software developers