Real Money Pokies: Play with a Plan

As Aussies, playing the pokies is practically ingrained in us. It’s one of the most popular forms of entertainment across Australia, available in just about every pub, club and hotel across the land, not to mention some of the world’s most elaborate casinos. And of course, there’s always the option to play pokies for real money online.

Everyone who’s ever played had a first time experience. This article is geared more towards those who plan on playing the pokies for the first time. However, the words of advice contained herein could also be a great benefit to players who’ve had bad experiences, as I’m going to explain how to play real money pokies with a plan.

There are three main goals to this plan. First and foremost, players should aim to have a great time. After all, pokies are designed to take our money. Players may experience a stroke of good luck, but in the long run, the casino will win over any collective group of players.

The second goal is to make that bankroll last as long as possible. This is in line with the first goal of sucking every bit of entertainment out of the pokies as possible.

Last but most certainly not least, we hope to walk away a winner, preferably with more money in our pocket than we started. Follow these next few tips with unwavering discipline and your odds of achieving at least the first two goals, if not the third, will increase tenfold.

Divvy Up The Bankroll

Let’s say you have $100 to play with. Don’t put that entire amount into the machine. Split it up into five increments of $20 each. Put the first $20 into the machine and play through it, paying close attention to how much you win along the way.

If at any time you hit a few nice wins, worth a total of maybe $10 or more, cash it out, especially if it brings your total credits to above the original $20. Split the money 50/50, putting half of that in your pocket as winnings. Put the rest back in the machine and keep playing. Not only will you be happy to have won, you’ll get to keep right on playing that same machine.

Once that money runs out, though, switch to another pokies game and insert the next $20. Rinse and repeat.

Pace Yourself

Many pokies players tend to get so caught up in the mesmerizing spin of the reels, they start clicking the Spin button as quickly as they can. Stay aware of your surroundings and pace yourself. The faster you play, the faster you will fall victim to the “house edge”, depleting your bankroll and minimizing the entertainment value.

Let Loyalty Rewards Work For You

If you’re playing in a live casino, get a club card and use it. If you’re playing pokies for real money online, pay attention to the site’s VIP loyalty rewards, and opt in if necessary.

These programs are generally designed to benefit the casino, but do offer affluent perks for the player. You can get free spins, free credits, maybe even a free meal out of the deal. Every little bit counts.

Take The Money And Run

If you happen to hit a big win, especially one that takes your bankroll higher than it started ($100+ in this example), cash out immediately! If you leave the credits in the machine, you could play right through them before you know it. It’s rare enough that players win a genuine profit, so you should be ecstatic knowing you’ve beaten the house.

I recommend walking away at this point, but if you don’t feel like you’ve had enough time playing to gain that ever important entertainment value, keep the cashout ticket in one pocket (along with any of those 50/50 winnings you collected). Then continue playing with what’s left of your original bankroll. So long as you don’t dip into those cashout tickets, you’re guaranteed to finish a winner.