Online Pokies Tips: How to feel like a winner every time

Boring Pokies are Good

Though there are exceptions, the games with the highest payback percentages tend to be those that don’t come with mind-blowing graphical displays and scores of bonus rounds. Remember, the casino only makes money when you hit the spin button; it follows, then, that the games which allow for fewer spins per hour are going to charge you more for the game play. The games that tend to mimic traditional slots (think those games with few, if any, bonus features, and only three reels) are usually going to be the games with the highest payback.

Is there anything wrong with playing games with a full complement of bonus rounds and other exotic features? Absolutely not! These games are usually huge fun. But they are frequently going to cost more to play, which means the savvy consumer should play them sparingly.

Careful with the Progressives

We could actually extend this piece of advice to include all games with obscenely high top-end jackpots, since these tend to be some of the poorest paying games in the house. When you play a progressive you’re basically funding two entities. First, you’re paying to keep the casino up and running. Second, you’re paying to help build the progressive jackpot (since a portion of every wager is funneled into the jackpot. That’s why it keeps growing!). The casino is going to get its money regardless, which means that funding the progressive is just another cost of playing that the player is forced to absorb.

With respect to the fixed-paytable games with the huge jackpots, these games are usually in place to attract new players. Having a game with a $500,000 jackpot is a great advertising gimmick, and can get players in the door, but since the players who are chasing these jackpots are usually not price-sensitive consumers, the casino can ramp up the house edge on these games.

Take the Perks

You would be shocked to discover just how many online pokie players never take advantage of the free offers that their online casino routinely offers them. Whether it’s a free entry into a slot tournament, triple VIP points, free spins, match bonuses, or some other type of reward, many players just can’t be bothered with redeeming these offers. Don’t be one of them!

Many of these offers may seem small, and their value may only fall in the $10 to $20 range, but these perks can and will add up quickly if you make a point of taking advantage of them. Since so many players ignore these promotions, the casinos can make these offers far more generous than they would if everybody took advantage of them. What that means to you, the intelligent online pokie player, is that by accepting these offers you are allowing other pokie players to subsidize your play. And what could be better than that?

Watch Your Money

This seems obvious, but it’s the downfall of many an unthinking slots player. If your bankroll is dwindling, you can no longer bet max every hand because you won’t have many bets left to make. Always adjust your bets and be sensible. You want to stay in the game as long as possible to give yourself a chance of getting lucky, of going on a roll or hitting the bonus. Bankroll management is a huge part of successful (and enjoyable) gambling.