Pokies Glossary
Pokies sites, game types and high-RTP titles for Australian players.
Get Pokies BonusThis pokies glossary explains the words you meet in game screens, bonus terms and casino cashiers, in one or two plain-English lines each. Use it as a quick reference while you read reviews or check the rules of a new game.
Game basics
The building blocks of every pokie, in pubs and in online pokies. This part of our pokies glossary australia readers use most covers the screen itself. If you are new, start here; our pokies tips for Australians then show how to use these ideas when you play.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pokie | Australian word for a slot machine, from "poker machine". Online pokies are the internet versions. |
| Reels | The vertical columns that spin. Classic games have 3, most modern online pokies 5 or 6. |
| Rows | Horizontal lines of symbols. A 5x3 game has 5 reels and 3 rows. |
| Payline | A line across the reels where matching symbols pay. Games list how many they have, from 1 to 50 or more. |
| Ways to win | Pay system where matching symbols on adjacent reels pay regardless of row. |
| Cluster pays | Wins for groups of touching symbols instead of lines, as in Sugar Rush and Reactoonz. |
| Pay anywhere | Wins for enough matching symbols anywhere on the grid, such as 8+ in Sweet Bonanza. |
| Stake / bet | What one spin costs. Usually set with plus and minus buttons. |
| Coin value | Some older games split the stake into coins; max win can be quoted in coins. |
| Paytable | The screen showing what each symbol pays and how features work. |
| RNG | Random number generator: software that decides every spin result independently, in online pokies and modern venue machines alike. |
| Autoplay | Runs a set number of spins automatically. Many players turn it off to control pace. |
RTP, volatility and the maths
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| RTP | Return to player: share of all stakes a game pays back over a very large number of spins, for example 96.21% on Book of Dead. |
| House edge | 100% minus RTP. The casino's long-run share; 3.79% on a 96.21% game. |
| Volatility (variance) | How the return is spread. Low: frequent small wins. High: rare, bigger wins. |
| Hit frequency | How often a spin returns any win. NetEnt quotes 23% for Starburst. |
| Max win | The biggest payout a game allows, often written as a multiple of the stake, such as 2,200x on Gonzo's Quest. |
| Multiplier | A factor that multiplies a win, such as the random multipliers up to 500x in Gates of Olympus. |
| RTP version | Studios publish several RTP settings for one game; the casino chooses which one to run. |
Features and mechanics
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Wild | Symbol that substitutes for others to complete wins. |
| Expanding wild | A wild that grows to cover a whole reel, as in Starburst. |
| Sticky wild | A wild that stays in place for several spins or the whole free-spins round. |
| Scatter | Symbol that pays or triggers features wherever it lands, usually free spins. |
| Free spins | Bonus round of spins at no cost, often with extra features. The most common feature in online pokies. |
| Retrigger | Landing more scatters during free spins to win extra spins. |
| Tumbling / cascading reels | Winning symbols disappear and new ones drop in, allowing chain wins. |
| Avalanche | NetEnt's name for cascading reels, used in Gonzo's Quest. |
| Megaways | Online pokies mechanic where reel heights change every spin, giving up to hundreds of thousands of ways. Buffalo King Megaways goes to 200,704. |
| Hold and win / respin | Money symbols lock while you get respins, such as Wolf Gold's Money Respin. |
| Bonus buy | Option to pay a set price to jump straight into the bonus round, where the casino allows it. |
| Gamble feature | Optional double-or-nothing on a win, as in Book of Dead. |
| Progressive jackpot | A prize that grows with every bet across a game or network, such as Mega Moolah or the WowPot network. |
| Fixed jackpot | A set top prize that does not grow, such as Wolf Gold's 1,000x Mega Jackpot. |
Bonus terms
These are the words that decide what an offer is really worth. Our real money pokies guide shows them with worked examples.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Offer for new players, usually a deposit match plus free spins over one or more deposits. |
| Deposit match | Bonus money as a percentage of your deposit, such as 100% up to A$500. |
| No-deposit bonus | Free chip or free spins given without a deposit, usually with high wagering and a cashout cap. |
| Wagering requirement | How many times you must bet the bonus (or bonus plus deposit) before it becomes cash. |
| Playthrough / rollover | Other names for wagering. |
| Max bet | Largest stake allowed per spin while a bonus is active. |
| Max cashout | The most you can withdraw from a bonus, especially no-deposit offers. |
| Game contribution | How much a game's bets count towards wagering. Online pokies usually 100%, table games less. |
| Bonus code | Text you enter to claim an offer, for example OZWELCOME-A at Ozwin. |
| Cashback | A percentage of losses returned, often with light wagering. |
| Reload | A deposit bonus for existing players. |
| VIP / loyalty | Points and levels that unlock cashback, limits and gifts. |
Banking and account terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| PayID | Australian instant bank payment using an email or phone number instead of BSB and account. |
| Osko | The fast-payment service behind many PayID transfers. |
| Neosurf | Prepaid voucher bought for cash and used to deposit with a code. |
| Crypto | Deposits and withdrawals in Bitcoin and other coins; usually the fastest way out. |
| E-wallet | Online wallet such as MiFinity, Skrill or Neteller. |
| Pending period | Time a withdrawal waits before the casino processes it. |
| KYC | Know Your Customer: ID and address checks before withdrawals. |
| Withdrawal limit | Maximum you can cash out per day, week or month. |
| Self-exclusion | Blocking yourself from a casino for a set period. |
Aussie pokies slang
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pokies | Poker machines, the Australian word for slots; online pokies are the internet versions. |
| Having a slap | Playing the pokies, usually a quick session. |
| Feature | The bonus round, as in "I finally got the feature". |
| Dead machine | A pokie that has not paid for a while. In pub and online pokies alike, every spin is still independent. |
| Pub pokies | Machines in hotels and clubs, regulated by each state. |
How to use this glossary
We built this pokies glossary explained in plain English for Australia's players, to sit alongside our reviews. When a casino page says "35x deposit plus bonus with a A$7.50 max bet", the bonus terms table above tells you what each part means. When a game screen says "96.50% RTP, pay anywhere", the maths and mechanics sections cover it. Ready to compare real casinos? Our best aus pokies sites list puts these terms to work, and the aus online pokies home page gives the quick tour.
Think of it as the pokies glossary explained once for all our online pokies guides, so the rest of the site reads easily. If a term you met somewhere is missing, it is probably a brand name for one of the mechanics above.
Glossary FAQ
What is the most important term in a pokies glossary Australia players use?
Probably wagering requirement. It decides whether a bonus is worth taking, and misunderstanding it is the most common reason players feel short-changed.
Is RTP the same as my chance of winning?
No. RTP is the long-run share of all stakes paid back. Your chance of a win on any spin depends on the game's hit frequency and volatility.
Why do Australians say pokies instead of slots?
It comes from poker machine, the original name for the machines in Australian pubs and clubs. Online, pokies and slots mean the same thing.
What does KYC mean at a casino?
Know Your Customer: the identity check a casino runs, usually before your first withdrawal. You upload photo ID and proof of address.
Where can I see these terms in action?
Our reviews and guides use them with real numbers from casino terms, for example the wagering examples on our bonus and real money pages.