Top 5 Most Popular Pokies
Online pokies, also known as online slots or online slot machines, are becoming more and more popular in Australia each year. The popularity of online pokies in Australia is attributed to many factors, one of which includes the convenience it provides to players.Â
The convenience of online pokies is evident in how players will be able to play slots in online gaming casinos through their desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. So, players donât have to go to land-based casinos or other gambling locations anymore to play pokies, as they can just simply use their laptops or smartphones to play pokies online and win legitimate prizes.
Although online pokies have been around for a few decades, it was only in the late 2010s and early 2020s when it took Australia by storm. The classic and video slots collection in Australia is quite expansive, and there are also a lot of bonuses like free spins bonus and other rewards that are given away in the countryâs online casinos.
For this article, we will be taking a closer look at online pokies and figure why it is extremely popular in Australia. So, letâs get started with the deep dive.
The predecessor to the modern slot machine or pokies slots was developed in 1891 by a company called Sittman and Pitt in Brooklyn, New York. This first gambling machine has 50 card faces with gameplay inspired by poker. Much like the modern slot machine, this device featured a lever that can be pulled to spin the reels.Â
Between 1887 and 1895 a mechanic named Charles Fey invented a simpler gambling machine in San Francisco, California, called the âLiberty Bell.â This simple machine contained five symbols, which are diamond, spades, hears, horseshoes, and a Liberty bell (a symbol of American independence). These icons would become the iconic symbols that you will often see in classic slot machines today.
Bally, an American company known today for producing pinball machines and slot machines, would later develop the first fully electromechanical slot machine in 1963. The machine, which was called âMoney Honeyâ would become very popular in numerous casinos around the United States.
In 1976, a gambling machine manufacturer called Fortune Coin Co. developed the first video slot machine. After its trial run at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, the video slot machine would later be found in different casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
Online casinos would be developed in the early 1990s, although it wasnât as accessible as it is today during those times. The slots collection of online casinos throughout the 2000s was minimal, although there were already bonuses like free spins bonus and other types or rewards that were given to players who win or lose in the games.
It was in the 2010s when online casinos became more accessible and more popular in numerous countries around the world. Along with online slots, poker and blackjack became the most played casino games in online casinos. For a detailed guide on winning in free slot machines, check out Spin and Win: How to Maximize Your Fun with Free Slot Games.
Pokies or slot machines are very fun and simple games to play, as you simply must match symbols on the reel to win rewards. However, what many people donât know is that there are mechanics or features in pokies that make winning complex. Here is a list of the special features found in online casinosâ slot collection:
Wild symbols are the icons on the reel that can serve as a substitute for other symbols. So, if you have already aligned two of the same symbols on two reels, you can win a prize by either matching them with the same symbol or a wild symbol. These wild symbols can help increase your chances of winning the jackpot.
Scatter symbols are the items in the slot machines that can vary in function. Most of the time, these scatter symbols can act as multipliers or wild symbols in the game. Multipliers help in multiplying a playerâs wager without the need to spend more money.
Bonus rounds are the extra spins that you can play in slot machines after spinning the main reels. These bonus rounds will often give you special bonuses or prizes that are separate from the jackpot of the game. Sometimes, these bonus rounds can be played in the form of free spins bonus.
Progressive jackpots are the prizes in slot machines that progressively increase if nobody is winning the jackpot. The progressive increase of the jackpot would sometimes depend on how many players are losing in a single machine or multiple machines. Play pokies online if you want to win progressive jackpots.
Fixed paylines are the lines in the slot games that you have to match the symbols on in order to win prizes. These fixed paylines don't always have to be horizontal, as there are some paylines that are diagonal.
Variable paylines are the line in the slot machines that can change during gameplay. So, you would have to keep an eye on these paylines to ensure that you are aligning symbols in the proper areas to get prizes.
The âall ways payâ slot machines donât have individual paylines. Instead, these slot machines allow you to win prizes if the same symbols appear 3 or more times (depending on the number of reels) on the screen. So, even if the symbols donât align, you will still be able to get prizes.
Return to player or RTP refers to the percentage of a slot game that shows you the expected return of the money you wagered through playing. If the slot machine has high RTP, then it means that you can win more games. On the other hand, low RTP games have jackpots that are more difficult to win.
When you search for online pokies on the web, you will see that there are thousands of them that are available for you to play on computers, smartphones, or tablets. However, there are only a few that are the best among the rest. At Gambino Slots, we offer some of those great online slot games that are fun and exciting to play. Check out our list of the best slots that we offer:
Those are just some of the best features of online pokies or slot games that made the game very popular in Australia. We have also offered the best slots in our website at Gambino Slots if you already want to play great slot machines with fun mechanics and great rewards like a free spins bonus. Check out our best slots collection if you want to see more of our popular video slots and other creations.
