50 Lions
50 Lions has the highest published RTP on the list at 96.79% with medium-low volatility and a 600x cap, the modest profile of a fixed-line game.
- RTP
- 96.79%
- Volatility
- Medium-Low
- Max win
- 600x
- Lines
- 50
- African
- Aristocrat
Pokie guide · Australia
Best pokies online real money: the shortlist, with the terms read
This page lists a small set of online pokies for Australian players who want to see the published figures before depositing. It also sets out our partner's bonus terms in plain language, with the parts that limit how a bonus can be used.
- 5pokies compared
- 96.79%best published return
- A$5max bet on a bonus
The shortlist
The shortlist, and what put each one on it
The shortlist below is ordered by published RTP, from highest to lowest, with volatility and max win shown alongside so the trade-offs are visible at a glance.
Checked on 16 October 2026
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways sits just below it at 96.72% RTP with high volatility and a 2,100x cap across megaways ways to win.
- RTP
- 96.72%
- Volatility
- High
- Max win
- 2,100x
- Lines
- megaways
- Fishing
- Pragmatic Play
Big Bass Bonanza
Big Bass Bonanza carries 96.71% RTP, high volatility and the same 2,100x cap, but with a fixed ten lines rather than megaways.
- RTP
- 96.71%
- Volatility
- High
- Max win
- 2,100x
- Lines
- 10
- Fishing
- Pragmatic Play
Madame Destiny Megaways
Madame Destiny Megaways publishes 96.51% RTP with high volatility and a 5,000x cap, a wider spread between ordinary pays and the ceiling.
- RTP
- 96.51%
- Volatility
- High
- Max win
- 5,000x
- Lines
- megaways
- Mystical
- Pragmatic Play
Gates of Olympus
Gates of Olympus publishes 96.5% RTP, the lowest here, with high volatility and a 5,000x cap and no line count in the figures we hold.
- RTP
- 96.5%
- Volatility
- High
- Max win
- 5,000x
- Greek Mythology
- Pragmatic Play
The shortlist as a table
Sort by whichever figure decides it for you.
| 150 Lions | 96.79% | Medium-Low | 600x | Aristocrat |
| 2Big Bass Bonanza Megaways | 96.72% | High | 2,100x | Pragmatic Play |
| 3Big Bass Bonanza | 96.71% | High | 2,100x | Pragmatic Play |
| 4Madame Destiny Megaways | 96.51% | High | 5,000x | Pragmatic Play |
| 5Gates of Olympus | 96.5% | High | 5,000x | Pragmatic Play |
Select a column heading to sort.
Reading the figures published online
Each pokie on the shortlist carries a return-to-player figure, a volatility rating and a maximum win expressed as a multiple of the stake. Those are the numbers we have, and they are the numbers we use. We do not add estimates or round them to make a game look better. The return figure is a long-run average over millions of spins; it does not describe what will happen in a session, and a session can lose.
Volatility describes how the wins are spread, not how often you win. A high-volatility pokie can go a long time between pays and then pay large. A medium-low one tends to pay smaller amounts more often. Neither shape is better in advance, and no combination of figures on this page tells you what a future spin will do.
Reading a max win figure
The max win column is a cap, not a promise. It is the most a single spin can return under the game's rules, usually reached only through the free-spins feature with a full screen of the top symbol or a multiplier at its ceiling. A cap does not tell you how likely that outcome is, and most sessions never approach it. It is a boundary, not a target.
When you compare two pokies, put the max win next to the volatility rather than on its own. A 5,000x cap on a high-volatility game is a different proposition from a 600x cap on a medium-low one. The line count matters less than it looks: a game with megaways ways to win and a game with a fixed number of lines can both land the same symbol count and pay very differently, because the paytable and the ways calculation are not the same thing.
What a bonus term changes
A deposit bonus is an amount added to your balance under conditions. The conditions decide how much of it you can keep and what you are allowed to do while it is active. The partner's published terms include a maximum bet on a bonus, and that is the term most often missed. Exceed it and the bonus and any winnings from it can be removed, even if the games you played were otherwise allowed.
Cashback is calculated on losses, not on turnover or on deposits. It arrives as a separate credit and does not change the return of any pokie you played. Read the terms as a whole before you deposit: the bonus percentage is the headline, but the withdrawal rules, the maximum bet and the cashback basis decide what the offer is actually worth to you.
FAQ
Common questions, short answers
What does RTP mean on an Australian pokie?
RTP is the share of total stakes a game is designed to return to players over a very large number of spins. It is a long-run average, so a single session can return more or less than the figure, and many sessions lose.
Is a higher max win always better?
No. A higher max win usually comes with higher volatility, which means longer dry spells between pays. The cap is a boundary of the paytable, not a likely outcome for your session.
What is the maximum bet while a bonus is active?
The partner's published terms set a maximum bet on a bonus of A$5. Betting above that can void the bonus and any winnings from it, so check the cashier before you spin.
How is cashback worked out?
The partner's published terms give daily cashback at 10% of losses. It is calculated on losses, not on how much you wagered, and it is credited separately from any deposit bonus.
What does RTP mean on an Australian pokie?
RTP is the share of total stakes a game is designed to return to players over a very large number of spins. It is a long-run average, so a single session can return more or less than the figure, and many sessions lose.