The Pokie Starter Guide

Slots/Pokies machines are one of the simplest to play games that you will ever find at a casino, be they a brick & mortar casino or an online casino. Just hit the button and let 'er rip. So simple right? But there are certain elements that might not be so simple for everyone. Particularly if you are dealing with an online casino and the patron to be has no Internet experience. And so, this little guide article is here to give you detailed help.

First off there are a few different types of slots machines and machines that look like slots, but are not. There is the classic Vegas style slots machine with its 3 or 5 wheel arrangement and a single pay-line. The pay-line is in the little window and it is where you see the combination of symbols that turn up. If the right combination of symbols turns up you win. Simple enough, right? Then there is the variation on the classic called the multi-line slots machines and these have more than just one pay-line. And they can be in different configurations like horizontal (the most common) or diagonal and number 3 or 5 pay-lines. Then there are the video slots/pokies machines that can have 9, 15 even 25 or more pay-lines.

A further variation on the video based machines are the poker machines which is where the Australian slang term "Pokies" comes from. These machines take a bit of skill to play as you are searching for a winning poker hand to win the game. So when the symbols turn up you are looking for poker hands, also you can multiple hands too.

Now to begin with you need to find a casino. It's best to take a bit of time on this and find one that meets your needs and (if you are online searching for a casino) is a legitimate online casino that is licensed. To do this you can hit the various casino review websites and do a bit of looking around. You will also find reviews of real world casinos too. Look for positive reviews and pay attention to what the casino offers. You would be looking for casinos with a good selection of slots/pokies machines.

Once you've done that and have a list of casinos, either online or real world, then go to the casino and have a look around. Get a feeling for the place. Does it look professional? What are their new player bonuses (if they are online) and their payout protocols. Look at everything. Then when you've decided on a casino you will need to sign up with them and open an account. Now the sign up process is fairly simple and you'll be asked for some information regarding money. How to get it from you to them. They have several ways available to transfer money to the new account you've just opened.

Once that is all setup you go and check up on your bonuses and make sure you got every bonus you are entitled to. You will need to consider how much money to put in to get certain bonuses at many casinos so read the bonus information carefully.

When you have of that done it's time to play.

Before inserting money into a brick & mortar machine or an online one check the pay table. This will be posted on any real world machine or somewhere on the screen of your computer when you are at the page with the machine on it. Read that document and know what is going on with your slots machine. There may be special bets levels for bonuses and such that are only available if you bet a certain amount of money.

Now, you must choose the size of your bets. This should appropriate to your budget. Set a limit for yourself that you can afford. Casinos do not want you to blow all of your money in one go of it. They want customers who are happy and will return just like any good business. Now if this is a real world casino you'll need to insert coins or a special voucher ticket you've purchased from the cash desk and just insert the coins into the coin slot or scan the ticket in the machine. Then select your bet choice and hit the button or pull the lever (if appropriate). If you are in an online casino you just hit the Play button, your account will be docked the money you've bet and away she'll go. On the video style machines you may have more choices to make, such as Bet One (bets one credit) or Bet Max (bets the maximum bet).

Then you just wait for the machine to cycle and display the results. Most times you will probably lose, but then again, there are the times that you'll win. And if so a couple of things can happen. Online is simple, the winnings go right into your account and you can check that anytime you want. In the real world it is a bit different. If you have won big the machine should alert the staff and a member will come over to help you sort out your winnings and deal with any applicable taxes. If it is a small win, then your winnings (in the form of coins) will spill out into a small tray lower on the machine.

You may find other buttons on the slots machines. These will probably include a "Help" button that will give a number of screens with information on them about rules and such. The "Start Feature" button which will start the extra spins if you won any on your previous plays. There might be a "Gamble" button. this button will allow you to gamble your wins. And then there's the "Call Attendant" button if you need help from a real person in a real world casino.

Now, there are a few more things that only apply to online casinos such as the downloading and installing of the software. Most casinos have a piece of software that is a client that links up to the casino website and it is through this client software that you play all of you games. Some, but not all online casinos offer a scaled down version of their casino that will function through the Internet web browser you are using. It exists for those people who would like to try out some of the games or for those who do not want to download anything the drawback to that option is that not all of the games are offered via the web browser. So it is best to download the software client. At reputable online casinos there is no worry of viruses and anything bad coming down with the software as all of that gets audited by private companies who will certify that casino as audited. Typically a casino may have only 20% or 25% of their games available through the web browser.

 

Now when it comes to registering your account make sure the information you enter is correct, like your address and name, because it is via this information that you winnings get sent to you. The entering of false details could end with your account being closed and you having a very hard time getting any money you have being sent to you. So be honest when filling that information out. And with your money, go to the banking or cashier area of the site and select the best deposit method for you and select an amount to put in. This is where you will get your money back out via the withdraw button.

All online casinos have security and identity verification protocols. These are there to protect you and your money. This will involve something like e-mailing, faxing or texting the casino registered copies of a valid photo ID like a driver's license, a utilities bill that shows your address and (if you paid with a credit card) the front and back of the card (but block out the middle 8 digits of the card and the CVV in any images you send). This will be enough to verify who you are.

And all casinos have some form of support options, which can usually be accessed by e-mail, live chat or by phone. And the best casinos will have extensive help sections to assist you with any issues.

All of this should be enough to give you a good firm foundation with which to start you real world or online slots/pokies explorations.