How do pokies work?
Pokie machines are a video version of poker. In New Zealand they are located in pubs, clubs and casinos. They have a minimum bet of $2 and a maximum payout of $500.
The pay back ratio for pokies is set between 78% and 92%, meaning on average you will lose between 18% and 22% of your money, every time you play. Remember that all forms of gambling are designed so that the owners can make a profit. While you might experience the odd win, ultimately, if you play enough you will lose.
How does the jackpot work?
Often machines are linked together to offer a particularly a larger prize, or "jackpot". Each pokie machine contributes a very small amount to the jackpot. The jackpot is programmed to go off before it reaches $1000.
Are pokie machines random?
While early pokie machines had a physical reel of symbols, modern ones are entirely computerised. The odds of winning are unrelated to the number of symbols you would expect to be on each reel. The symbols displayed when you win or lose are chosen by a “random number generator” which is electronic and part of the machine's software.
What is near-miss programming?
The pokie machines are no longer made with physical reels that spin around to reveal a combination of winning and losing symbols. Instead, if you opened a pokie machine up, all you would find is a computer chip.
Because the reel is controlled by computer software, it is possible to make the slot machine frequently display combinations that are close to winning combinations. This can make you think that you have "almost won" when you haven’t at all. This encourages players to continue playing.