Top 10 Pokies of 2023

With so many pokies to choose from, it may be difficult to decide which ones are the best to play. If you are spending real money you’ll want to play slots with high RTP, medium to low volatility (if you’re new to pokies), or with higher volatility if you’re a high roller. Then there’s the number of bonuses a game has, it’s distinct features and most importantly of all, is it fun?

Our experts at Best Aussie Pokies have sifted through heaps of online pokies to find the best pokies of this year. Our list of the 10 most popular pokies in Australia takes into consideration all the characteristics we believe make a good pokie.

1. Mega Moolah by Microgaming

Known for its enormous progressive prize, Mega Moolah slots has been a steady favourite since its creation in 2006. With its signature exotic creatures from an African safari, vibrant visuals, and cool sound effects, this slot is as fun as it looks. Players can

enjoy a free spins bonus and a progressive jackpot triggered by a bonus wheel.

What we love most

• Four progressive jackpots with a variety of maximum bets
• The higher the jackpot the higher the RTP
• Activate bonus features with wilds and scatters.
• Free spins features
• The Mega Jackpot is triggered by the bonus “Wheel of Fortune” game.
• There 25 paylines so there are more chances to win than the other slots.

Tips for Playing Mega Moolah

• Get the bonus game by staking on the maximum wager.
• Consistency is key! Place bets often to increase your chances of hitting the jackpot.
• Keep an eye on how much you bet so you can play longer and reduce losses.
• Take advantage of the free spins promotions so you can extend your gaming experience.

 2. Book of Dead by Play’n GO

With a payout rate of 96.21%, this pokie doesn’t have the highest RTP but its expanding symbols and ‘Gamble’ feature, gives you a better chance of winning. The game’s Egyptian theme serves as the backdrop for this fun-filled slot which has a maximum payout of $250,000. Play’n GO provides high-quality graphics and a high volatility, which could lead to huge payouts although these are not as frequent.

What we love most

• Expanding wilds allow you to win with different combinations
• Players can double their winnings with the Gamble feature
• The free spins feature has expanding symbols.

Tips for Playing Book of the Dead

• Increase your odds by activating the paylines.
• Use the Gamble feature less than half the times it appears to avoid losing your winnings.
• Set a budget!

3. Startburst by Netent

Since 2011, Starburst pokies (and Starburst XXXtreme) has been a top online pokie with one of the highest RTPs around. One reason as to why this pokie is so popular is its classic gameplay with its futuristic theme full of jewels and diamonds. Some of the game’s special features include, wild icons that change to expanding or stacked wilds. The Wilds can activate free spins or winning combinations that pay both directions.

What we love most

• Trigger free re-spins with expanding wilds
• Low volatility means more playing and less risks
• Classic arcade style

Tips for Playing Starburst

• Maximize your chances of landing on winning combinations by betting on all paylines.
• Take advantage of the expanding wilds to trigger free re-spins
• Make the most of low volatility by playing with medium bets

 4.    Bonanza Megaways by Big Time Gaming

Our pokie experts agree that Bonanza Megaways is the best online Megaways slot. It’s celebrated bonus features include Wild symbols, dual reaction, reactive reels and free spins. This pokie has an incredible 117649 paylines, 6 reels and 12 free spins. Although there is so much fun to be had, remember this a high-volatility slot, so you may see more losses than on other Megaways pokies.

What we love most

• Megaways system with up to 117649 paylines and six reels
• Enjoy Bonanza’s 3 big features: Megaways Mechanic, Avalanche, and free spins which are triggered by the scatter symbols.
• Cascading reels increase your odds substantially.

Tips for Playing Bonanza Megaways

• Improve your odds by wagering on every pay line.
• Trigger winning combinations with the cascading reels feature.

5.    Immortal Romance by Microgaming

This vampire themed slot has been popular throughout the year and not just for the Halloween season. The game’s features include rolling reels, free spin, multipliers, and up to five reels can be created using the ‘Wild Desire’ feature.

Created by Microgaming, which is known as one of the best pokie providers which means it is a trusted and fair slot. The slots character storylines add to the gaming experience. Immortal Romance has a lot going for it with 243 pay lines, and a high volatility slot. This is great for daring players who don’t mind taking more risks for the possibility of a higher payout.

What we love most

• 243 ways to win
• Wilds and scatters trigger bonus features and free spins
• Multiple character storylines that add depth to the gameplay

Tips for Playing Immortal Romance

• Unlock bonus features by exploring character storylines.
• Avoid volatility and minimize risk by placing lower bets.
• Place bets on all paylines to maximize your chances of winning big.

6.    Dead or Alive II by NetEnt

This wild west themed slot is the sequel to the original Dead or Alive. You can play 6 different credit levels with a minimum bet of just 9 cents. The free spins bonus round has an expanding symbol which increases payouts. This pokie has an RTP close to 97%, which means it’s great for new slots players. Then there’s the sticky wilds feature.

What we love most

• A variety of bonus features
• Free re-spins
• Increasing your chance of reaching a winning combo using the ‘Sticky wilds’ feature.
• High payouts of 111111x your wager
• Top notch graphics

Tips for Playing Dead or Alive II

• Bet with small wagers
• The longer your sessions the better
• Stick to your budget

7.    Thunderstruck II by Microgaming

Since 2004, Thunderstruck II has been seen as one of the best Aussie-style pokies with an exciting Nordic theme. Microgaming has upped the ante with a decent 96.1% RTP, and the chance to Increase hitting winning combinations with the 243 pay lines. There are character storylines, cool graphics and four types of free spins. Triggering the free spins and bonus features, with wilds and scatters, gives you a substantial advantage

What we love most

• 243 paylines
• Get free re-spins by using the Great Hall of Spins feature
• Activate features with wilds and scatters.
• Trigger bonus games aa variety of character storylines can
• Top notch graphics

Tips for Playing Thunderstruck II

• Activate bonus games Using the character storylines.
• Bet on all paylines
• Medium bets help reduce volatility risks

8.    Gonzo’s Quest

So, what makes Gonzo’s Quest one of the best online slots this year? This classic by the powerhouse provider NetEnt has a number of special features, like Avalanche reels, a variety of multipliers and the Free Falls features. This game has high volatility, which can be a risk for players who place high bets.

What we love most

• Winning symbols are replaced with new winning ones using the Avalanche feature
• Increase multipliers with each winning avalanche
• Free spins and additional multipliers are triggered by free falls

Tips for Playing Gonzo’s Quest

• Trigger more winning combinations using the avalanche features
• play for longer with minimum bets and decrease high volatility losses
• Unlock special features when you play the free spin promotion.

9.    Age of the Gods by Playtech

This progressive jackpot pokie offers payouts that go up to 10000x of the amount you bet. The Playtech slots also gives you four different rounds for re-spins, which significantly increases your chances. There are 20 paylines, wild symbols on five reels, 4 progressive jackpots and a 95.02% payout rate.

What we love most

• Free Spins bonus features
• Huge progressive jackpot of about £400,000
• Maximum payout of 10000x your stake
• Easy to play on tablets and mobiles.

Tips for Playing Age of the Gods

• Increase your odds and play for longer by using one of the bonus features.
• Use free spin bonuses to bet more with lower risks.

10. Twin Spin by NetEnt

This slot puts a modern spin on the classic fruit machine. What’s great about this pokie is it isn’t laden with bonuses and features which means it appears to be on the simpler side. However, you can increase your chances of winning combinations by using this game’s most notable feature, the Twin Reel. There are 243 paylines but this pokie does not offer multipliers or bonus games.

What we love most

• Twin reels expand. You can play with up to 10 reels
• 243 pay lines
• High quality graphics
• High RTP

Tips for Playing Twin Spin

• Avoid the high-volatility risks by sticking to low bets on pay lines
• Avoid chasing losses.