How to read a pokie machine

Credits are not always dollars

A screen balance may be expressed in credits. Convert the displayed denomination into money before comparing bet settings. For example, 100 credits at one cent per credit represent one dollar. That example is a unit conversion, not a suggested stake.

Find the total bet

Some games combine a number of active lines with a stake per line. Others display ways, reels or a single total bet. Read the final cost shown for one spin; do not assume the smallest number on the panel is the whole stake.

Read the winning combinations

The paytable identifies symbols, any wild substitutions, scatter conditions and how a prize is calculated. A symbol with the same appearance can have different rules in another game. Check whether combinations pay from a specific direction or on particular reel positions.

Features and game versions

Free spins, hold features and multipliers each have their own trigger and settlement rules. Read what carries into a feature, whether the original stake remains relevant and when the feature ends. A familiar game name is not enough to identify its exact version or configuration.

What RTP describes

Return to player is a theoretical long-run measure. It does not describe the return of one visit or tell you when a result is due. Volatility describes variability in outcomes, not a schedule of wins. Neither figure makes a recent sequence a reliable prediction.

At the venue

If a display or payment control is unclear, ask venue staff to explain that control. For the local room covered here, see Angas Park Hotel gaming information. A venue can confirm an installed game; this general controls guide cannot.