Online pokie games are fairly easy to play if you understand the pokies terminology. You simply find a pokie game, place a bet and watch the reels spin in hopes you will land a winning combination. Pokies are generally all about luck.
However, you need to get familiar with quite a few pokies terms for new players. This complete pokie glossary explains the most important slot machine terms used in online casinos Australia, so you can play with confidence.
This can help new players, while loyal pokie players can use it to brush up their knowledge.
Use Pokie Terminology at AU Casinos
What is Pokies Terminology?
Pokies terminology refers to the words and phrases used to describe how slot games work. These include technical concepts like Random Number Generators (RNGs) as well as common features such as free spins, wild symbols, and jackpots.
Understanding these terms helps Australian players:
- Choose better casino games
- Manage their real money bankroll effectively
- Understand payouts and winning potential
Key Pokie Terms Every Player Should Know
Before diving into the full glossary, here are the most important terms every player should understand:
RTP (Return to Player)
The percentage of total wagers a pokie pays back over time. For example, a 96% RTP means the game returns $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run.
Volatility (Variance)
Describes how often and how much a game pays:
- Low volatility: frequent small wins
- High volatility: rare but big wins
Paylines vs Ways
- Paylines: fixed lines where symbols must land
- Ways: wins occur when matching symbols land on adjacent reels (e.g. 243 ways)
Wild Symbol
Substitutes for other symbols to help form winning combinations.
Scatter Symbol
Triggers bonus features like free spins, regardless of position.
A to Z of Pokies for Aussies
intro
1024 Way Pokies
With these pokies, there are 1024 possible ways to win in a game. They are also called “all-way” pokies games. 1024 way slots use a 5 X 4 reel format; while you may find several 1024 way pokies online, it is the least common ways format.
243 Way Pokies
Online pokies that consist of 243 winning combinations. They use a 5 x 3 reel format and are the most common type of ways pokie.
All Ways
Games that use the format of the way. They typically have 243 ways to win but can be as many as 1024 ways. It is the most common type of pokie game.
Bankroll
An amount you have allocated to play pokies. This is called your budget.
Bonus Game
Also referred to as bonus rounds. Different games have different bonus games; some are complex and innovative while others are pretty standard. Bonus games can be triggered at random or by landing specific symbols. Bonus games can drastically increase your chances of winning big.
Cascading Wins
A bonus feature where the symbols that makeup winning combinations are replaced with new ones after the combinations are paid.
Classic Pokie
These are three-reel machines with one payline. They are the most basic form of pokies. Classic pokies pay homage to the old-school style of pokie machines.
Coin Size
Online pokie machines typically range in coin sizes from 0.01 to a couple of dollars. Players can alter their coin size by increasing or decreasing the amount each time they make a wager.
Coins
When playing online, players bet using a currency called credits.
Double Feature
When you re-trigger the bonus round during a bound round.
Double Up
Another term for gamble feature is where you can double your winnings by selecting red or black.
Expanding Wild
It fills the entire reel whenever it appears, and it turns the existing symbols into wild symbols.
Extra Bet
This bet unlocks the chance to play for larger multipliers or more free games.
Feature
Another way to describe bonus rounds.
Fixed Jackpot
The fixed jackpot refers to the largest payout you can get from a particular slot game. Jackpots that are fixed mean they cannot be increased or decreased and have a pre-determined maximum payout.
Flash Pokie
A pokie game that can be played instantly, without the requirement of downloading any software.
Free Spins
When playing pokies games, free spins are either awarded at random or triggered by scatter symbols that appear on the paylines. Each game offers different numbers of free spins, giving players the chance to win without placing their wager.
Fruit Machine
A fruit machine or “fruity” is a colloquial term for pokies. Symbols of these games usually consist of traditional fruit icons.
Gamble
A type of bonus round on pokie games where you can double your winnings. You may also have the choice to double half of your winnings and keep the other half.
Hits
Another term to describe spins in a pokie.
Hold Bonus Pokie
A type of bonus in which certain reels are held in position while the remaining reels are spun again. They can either keep spinning until a winning combination is formed or spin again for a pre-determined number of times.
Instant Play
Opposite to download play, where players can access pokies games directly from the web. They do not need to download any pokies apps or casino software.
Jackpot
The largest amount you can win from a pokie machine.
Jackpot Link
A progressive jackpot machine that is linked to multiple machines to produce an even larger jackpot amount. The jackpot is also likely to grow bigger more quickly with multiple machines linked to it.
Lines
Lines are also known as paylines. Symbols must appear in the correct order along the lines to win.
Max Bet
This is the maximum wager a player can make on a single spin.
Minimum Bet
The lowest bet amount you can place on a pokie game.
Multiplier
This is a bonus game in which the player is offered some multiplier of the payout that would normally be rewarded for the particular symbol combination. For instance, in a bonus round, you might receive a payout of 3:1 but get a multiplier of 10x on that payout, meaning your total payout is 30:1. Multipliers can lead to very big rewards!
One-Armed Bandit
An Aussie slang term to describe a classic three-reel pokie machine with one payline.
Pay Table
A section on the game displays the number of winning combinations, payouts, and game rules.
Payout Percentage
The amount of money a game pays out to players over a long period of time.
Progressive Jackpot
Every time a wager is placed on a progressive jackpot slot game, the base jackpot grows greater. One of the main attractions of progressive online games is the way they can produce large, multi-million-dollar payouts.
Random Number Generator
A computer program generates the numbers that determine the outcome for each spin. RNG’s achieve true randomness in the pokie games.
Re-Spin Feature
A feature where selected symbols on some reels are held while the rest spin again.
Reels
As you press play, the drums with symbols on them will spin vertically. Five reel pokies are most popular, but there are now games with six reels.
Scatter Symbol
A scatter symbol typically triggers bonus features such as free spins and multipliers when three or more appear on the screen.
Stacked Wilds
In pokies, this feature appears when wild symbols appear stacked on top of one another.
Sticky Wilds
Symbols that stay in place, well, others spin again.
Symbols
Stacks of images that comprise the reels. The various prizes are awarded by lining up the symbols.
Wild Multiplier
In addition to multiplying wins, this symbol also acts as a wild.
Wild Symbol
You can unlock bonus rounds and jackpots by using a wild symbol in a pokie. In addition to forming winning combinations, it can act as a multiplier.
Understanding Advanced Pokie Terms
RTP vs Volatility
A game can have high RTP but still be high volatility. This means:
- It pays well over time
- But wins may be less frequent
- Hit Frequency vs RTP
- Hit frequency = how often you win
- RTP = how much you win over time
Understanding both helps you choose the right game for your playing style.
RNG and Fair Play
All licensed online casinos use RNG technology to ensure fair results. This means:
- Every spin is independent
- There is no pattern or predictability
Wagering Requirements and Bonus Terms
When playing at online casinos, especially with bonuses, you may come across wagering requirements. These are conditions that determine how many times you must play through a bonus before withdrawing winnings.
For example:
- A 30x wagering requirement means you must wager your bonus 30 times
- Not all slot machine games contribute equally toward these requirements
Understanding this term is crucial when playing with real money bonuses.
Pokies Terminology FAQs
What does RTP mean in pokies?
RTP (Return to Player) is the theoretical percentage of total bets that a game pays back to players over a long period. Generally, a higher RTP indicates better long-term returns for the player.What is volatility in slot games?
Volatility measures the risk level of a game. High volatility slots offer larger payouts that occur less frequently, while low volatility games provide smaller, more consistent wins.What is the difference between paylines and ways?
Paylines are specific, fixed patterns across the reels that symbols must land on to win. In contrast, “Ways to Win” allow for payouts as long as matching symbols appear on adjacent reels, regardless of their vertical position.What is a wild symbol?
A wild symbol acts as a substitute for most other symbols on the reels. This helps complete winning combinations that would have otherwise been missed.How do progressive jackpots work?
A small percentage of every bet placed on the game contributes to a central prize pool. This jackpot continues to grow—often reaching millions—until one lucky player hits the winning combination.
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