Online Pokies Tutorial
Did you know that pokies weren’t even legal in New Zealand until the year 1989, when the parliament legalised their development throughout the country? This breakthrough saw a surge in the number of people who started spinning the reels because initially, no one wanted to rub shoulders with the law of the land. Through the 90’s the popularity of the game kept rising as more and more Kiwis enjoyed spinning pokie machines in land-based gaming zones.
Of course, as we speak, much of that has changed drastically thanks to with the advancement of technology. Kiwis can now enjoy pokies from the comfort their homes through computers and mobile devices. Today, pokies are even more popular in New Zealand online casinos particularly because how easy they are to play, and the fact that playing them comes with a lot of benefits. If you’ve ever had any questions about playing pokies, keep reading this post, and you’ll thank us later!
What are the Benefits of Playing Pokies?
Wondering how you are going to benefit from spinning pokie reels in New Zealand? Here are a few advantages that any Kiwi can enjoy;
✔ For starters, playing pokies is fun and exciting.
✔ There are hundreds of pokies at your disposal, and you can easily find what suits your gaming tastes.
✔ You get the chance to win various prizes if you hit the right combinations on the reels
✔ Most online pokies allow you either play for free just for entertainment or spend some real money to make some money as you have fun.
How to Play Pokies
Even though playing pokies is rather easy, there’s still a lot involved. Well, the aim of this tutorial isn’t merely for you to play, but for you to play well, so that you may stand a chance of earning the handsome rewards that come with some of these Pokies. Sure enough, the placing a bet part is easy but there are many other things which you should take into consideration such as;
◼ Look at the paylines and bet sizes
If you are new to pokies, know that paylines are lines on which the right combination of icons has to appear for you to win. Different pokies have different paylines and so, before you start playing, ensure that you have set the number of pay lines and the bet size to suit your betting strategy and properly manage your bankroll.
For the most part, the more the paylines, the more your chances of winning. While this might indeed be true, your winnings at the end of the day are hinged on luck and how you play. So, don’t get carried away by the paylines especially if you are on a limited budget
◼ Symbols and Features
Understanding the symbols and other in-game features is vital should you want to succeed in reaping a substantial reward as you play. In classic pokies, you’ll come across fruit icons together with standard poker card icons like A, K, Q, J, 9 and 10 as well as Clubs, Hearts, Spades, and Diamonds.
If you play video pokies, on the other hand, you’ll come across more interesting icons like scatters and wilds other than the regularly themed icons. When you come across these symbols in the course of your game, there’s a good chance you will land various extra rewards that will earn you more money. Scatter symbols, for instance, are usually the key to unlocking a bonus rounds while wild symbols will stand in for other symbols except scatter symbols to complete your winning combination. Depending on the game you may also come across expanding, stacked and trailing wilds, all which come with a twist of goodies once they are activated.
Features like multipliers, on the other hand, enable you to multiply your rewards by a certain number of times depending on the level you are in.
◼ What is RTP?
RTP, which is an acronym for Return to Player is the average percentage of returns that players receive after playing a pokie game. For the best chance of winning, choose games with a higher RTP since they payout more. You must, however, bear in mind that such values are calculated as an average after the game has been played for a pretty long time. Thus, it may not be a guarantee of how you can estimate your returns.
Take Advantage of Promotional Offers to Play More and Win More
Looking to get more bang for your buck? Well, there’s no better way of doing that than taking advantage of in-house promotions. Some of the coolest offers available for Kiwi pokieheads out there include;
Uptown Pokies
Grab a welcome bonus of $8888 and an additional 350 free spins.
Casino Cruise
A four-tier welcome package of up to $1,000 awaits you plus 200 free spins after loading your initial buy-in
Casino Mate
A reward-filled bonus worth $1,400 plus 80 free spins is yours for the taking on your first four consecutive deposits
How to Maximize Your Pokie Winnings
If you truly want to make more money out of spinning the reels, here’s what you should do;
✔ Play in casinos that offer plenty of pokie bonuses
✔ Before you start spinning the reels of any game, make sure that you understand all its features
✔ Choose the pokies with the highest RTP
✔ If you want to chase jackpot rewards, place maximum wagers per round
✔ Create a budget and stick to it even when you are on a winning streak
Top 3 Pokies for New Zealand Gamers
If you aren’t sure which games you should start playing, we picked out three heavy hitters that we think will pump up your adrenaline from the word go. They are;
Starburst
This Pokie by Net Entertainment is not only popular in New Zealand, but also across the world. It’s hit is based in outer space coming with 5 reels 10 pay lines. If you are a sci-fi fan, you are you’ll be swept off by the engaging soundtrack and awesome graphics and plenty of in-game boosts from scatters, wilds and multipliers.
Mega Moolah
Are you hungry for a life-changing progressive jackpot reward? Well, there’s no better way of chasing your million-dollar dream than spinning the reels of Mega Moolah. It’s a five reel, 25 payline heavy hitters from Microgaming coming with lots of goodies, the biggest of them all being its progressive jackpot that starts at $1,000,000 million.
Book of Ra Deluxe
This is one of the coolest high variance pokies available in New Zealand online casino. It’s a beauty from Novomatic coming with an enigmatic ancient Egypt theme that blows you away from the first spin. Take the exquisite journey in this 5-reel hit over 10 connecting paylines, and you might just find yourself spinning the reels for hours non-stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are online pokies fair?
Yes, online pokies are run on Random Number Generator software that uses an unbreakable algorithm that keeps the games fair. So, there won’t be any unfair house edge that will keep you at a disadvantage.
Is it secure to play pokies for real money?
Yes, it is secure to play pokies online for real money as long as you enjoy yourself in a gaming site that uses 128-bit SSL encryption protocol to secure financial transactions.
Can I play pokies on mobile?
Yes, you can play most of the new releases on your smartphone and tablet. The surest way of enjoying mobile gaming is playing in a mobile-friendly New Zealand casino.