If you like gambling games and have never tried online pokies before, chances are that you will enjoy them. However, a big problem most new players face is not knowing which game to choose.
Which games are «good» and which ones pay? Both questions will be answered in due course, but for now let’s understand what variance and RTP are.
What is RTP (payout)?
RTP (Return-to-Player), translated as «Return to Player», is a percentage calculated by simulating thousands or millions of spins. This percentage is used to indicate the average level of return to players.
Please note that this does not mean that you will get 95 Euros back for every 100 Euros you wager. You may lose it all or you may win more. The outcome of each spin depends on the random number generator (RNG), also known as RNG.
What is volatility?
The volatility indicator of a game is the frequency and size of payouts on winning spins.
For example, when we say that a game has high volatility, it means that we are more likely to experience a series of losing spins before a winning spin, which logically should give us higher payouts than a low volatility game.
High Payout Pokies
Let’s take a look at some of the values that paid higher than usual last year. The following list is dominated by a few developers like Pragmatic Play and Play’n GO, whose games are favorites of many streamers and regular players, whether the goal is simple fun or profit.
3 Wizards
RTP — 95.83
A relatively new addition to Playtech’s roster of games, (Mega Fire Blaze) 3 Wizards, was released in November 2023 and quickly rose to the top of the charts. The game has a high RTP of 95.83%, and its «ace» is none other than the Bonus* feature, which includes 4 progressive jackpots that the game can «give away». The minimum bet is €0.10, which is doubled after activating the Add Scatter feature.
30 paylines are enough to win several times with the same payout, but the payouts are quite small. In general, as in other games in the Witcher series, it is difficult to pay large amounts on a single spin, even with the appearance of stacked wilds. In our opinion, the only thing that makes this game worthwhile is its features.
Zeus vs. Hades
RTP — 96.07
This is undoubtedly one of the hottest games of the year, as it combines two of Pragmatic’s most iconic games — Gates of Olympus and Gates of Hades. With new gameplay and the possibility to choose a variable board, there is no reason not to try it. The groups «disappeared» and now there are 15 paylines.
Thanks to the random possibility of multiplier wilds appearing on the reels, even on single spins, winnings can skyrocket. Just imagine that in our test (with a bet of €0.20), we made a profit of almost €25. Of course, you can also use the bonus features* for even bigger potential winnings. The maximum win in Zeus vs. Hades is 15,000x, but the frequency of activation of the bonus spins* is quite high. There is also the option to buy the bonus*, but only in Olympus mode, as even the smallest bet in «Hades» costs more than €20 to buy.
Wild Yield
RTP — 96.12
It may not look like much at first glance, but once you try it, you will surely love it. Scarecrow is one of the best slots from Relax Gaming. Launched at the end of November 2022, it was already a sensation abroad at Christmas. When this provider entered New Zealand, its popularity in the country skyrocketed. The basic gameplay is simple and doesn’t «say» much. What is of interest are the bonus features*. In terms of volatility, it is quite high, but the 259 paylines help a lot.
In the special mode, up to 10 time symbols can appear, each of which adds or increases the multiplier of the joker on the board until the end of the bonus*. The maximum win goes up to… God, when it approaches 50,000x. Players can continue to buy 1 extra spin as long as additional weather symbols are allowed to appear. However, we do not recommend doing this, as things can quickly get out of hand.
Honey Rush 100
RTP — 96.2%.
Good for passing the time with small bets. The minimum bet for «Honey» is only €0.10, but the volatility is quite high. It’s hard to win money, but when you do, you win a lot. The Play’n GO game works with the same logic as Tome of Madness, that is, as long as you collect a certain number of symbols, interesting things will happen on the board. There are no winning lines, because a win is always generated when at least 5 of the same symbols appear next to each other.
Honey Rush 100, just like Rise of Olympus 100 and Moon Princess 100 from the same provider, can display a wild multiplier of up to 100x. The maximum win reaches 50,000x, so we think it’s worth playing, and even more. Once you have collected more than 90 symbols, the screen switches to overload mode and the «real» game starts!
Balance of Death
RTP — 96.21
We continue with another game from the acclaimed Play’n GO, which is part of the long-running series of Egyptian games. The symbols bring back the already iconic Book of the Dead and the Legacy of Death. Overall, the base game is a remake of these slots, changing only the bonus features*. Otherwise, the usual applies, i.e. 10 paylines and a maximum jackpot of 5,000x.
At the start of the special feature, you will receive 8 first spins and a random expanding symbol. As in other similar games from the provider, when the chosen symbol appears on at least 3 reels (2 if it is a character), it will expand to cover the entire reel and pay accordingly. However, if at least 2 scatter symbols appear, you will receive 4 «sandstorm» spins, where the expanding symbol has a 2x, 3x or 4x multiplier, increasing the chances of winning. Therefore, we recommend it above Book of the Dead and Pilgrim of Death.
Shinobi Spirit
RTP — 96.26
A game with a Japanese style and relaxing gameplay character that once again topped the world charts. We would say that the gameplay of Shinobi Spirit is too simple, except for the ninjas that can appear and collect bamboo values (up to 1000x). The bonus* of this pokies machine is especially interesting.
When bamboo multipliers appear anywhere on the equipment the ninjas are facing, their value is collected and the corresponding ninja receives 3 «lives». If the player eventually runs out of ninjas, the special mode ends. When the Ninja Master appears, each time he collects bamboo, its value is added to all bamboo visible on the board. In addition, he has 6 lives instead of 3. The maximum profit of the game is 20,000x if you reach the end.
Chaos Crew 2
RTP — 96.27
Are you ready to win up to 20,000x your bet in this game from Hacksaw Gaming? The game maintains the visual style of the original, is played on a 5×5 board and has 19 fixed paylines. Like almost all slots from this provider, Chaos Crew 2 has a very high volatility rate. As in the original game, the bonus* is pursued here.
The special feature starts with 3 spins and restarts every time a new multiplier symbol appears. The current multiplier (1x standard) is displayed above the reels. There are symbols that increase the corresponding multiplier or all, multiply the corresponding multiplier or all and finally there is the «Absolute» symbol, which acts the same as the previous symbol, but is active for all remaining spins. The maximum bonus can reach 20,000x.
Return of the Green Knight
RTP — 96.27
The sequel to Play’n GO’s Green Knight is finally available for the New Zealand public. Just like the original, the game features 20 paylines and a maximum shield multiplier of 100x. However, there is one big difference, and that is that the maximum win multiplier has increased from 10,000x to 40,000x. Of course, the odds of getting it have increased sevenfold, from 1 in 55 million to 1 in 333 million, so we don’t think it’s that big of a deal.
But what interests us again is the bonus*. Not only does each spin have a wild multiplier, but 2 scatters trigger the shield spin. This is a series of 5 spins with a gradually increasing wild multiplier. However, the wilds become fixed, which means that they remain in their original position until the end of the bonus*. If you’re looking for the biggest wins, we’d definitely recommend this game, but if you want more realistic chances of winning, you’re better off sticking with the classic Green Knight.
Mafia Clash
RTP: 96.35%.
Hacksaw Gaming’s pokies stands out from the crowd, with a 5-reel, 4-row game, and features a well-designed background and overall atmosphere, including background music. 20 is the winning line, and 10,000x is the theoretical maximum win, as the variance is relatively high.
The game is to some extent a better designed and more modern copy of Wanted or Wild. Certain characters will «fight» each other, and the winner’s multiplier will be applied to the payout on each spin. In the bonus* it is even more interesting, because this feature is activated more often, increasing the potential winnings.
Wild West Gold
RTP — 96.51
The game with the highest RTP on our list is (not by chance) also the one that gave us the highest payouts. The «rules» are simple, and 40 paylines are enough to keep the payouts on individual spins within a good range. The wilds that appear have a 2x, 3x or 5x multiplier and only appear on the 3 center reels.
The maximum win is 10,000x and is not impossible thanks to the game’s features. Imagine being able to win up to 20 extra spins if enough stars appear overlapping on the symbols. The bonus starts with 8 spins, but there is no upper limit to the number of extra spins you can win, unless of course you reach the maximum win, at which point the special feature stops automatically. We have saved the best for last. All wilds that appear on the 3 center reels during a spin remain until the end of the bonus*.
The most profitable pokies from the suppliers
Before sitting down to spin the reels, it is important to know the RTP of each slot. However, it is also very useful to classify the payouts of the providers as a group. Therefore, in the table below you can see the average RTP of all slots from the world’s leading providers.
RTP % by provider
| Provider | RTP |
| Pragmatic Play | 96% |
| Hacksaw Gaming | 95.9% |
| Relax Gaming | 95.6% |
| Push Gaming | 95.6% |
| ELK | 95.3% |
| Play’n GO | 95.2% |
| Playtech | 95.15% |
| EGT | 95.1% |
This is how the repayment rate is calculated
It is obtained from the following quotient:
Total amount refunded to the player / total amount wagered by the player.
Example: 950 € of refund / 1.000 € of principal. The quotient is always a decimal number, thus…. 0.95. Expressed as a percentage, it is equivalent to 95%.
Why does the RTP vary from one slot machine to another?
The manufacturer has no obligation on this particular issue. No licensing body can force a supplier to launch a slot machine with a certain rate of return. It only requires it to indicate the actual rate of interest. Therefore, live casino providers produce slots with different RTP options. This is derived from the paylines, symbols and additional features. As these vary from game to game, the percentages may vary.