Poker machines
Poker machines, also called gaming machines or pokies, are the most harmful form of gambling in NSW. In NSW, there are gaming machines in many hotels and clubs.
When you play the pokies, it’s important to understand that they are designed to make money for the venue, not you. The odds are stacked against you, and most people will lose over time. The more you play, the more you lose.
This page will help you understand
How pokies work
Every poker machine has a computer program that creates thousands of possible results every second. When you press the spin button, the machine picks an unpredictable result at random.
Each spin is independent, which means what happened on the last spin has no effect on what will happen next.
In other words, every spin is a fresh start and there’s no way to predict or influence the outcome.
Why are poker machines so addictive?
Poker machines are designed with features that make them highly engaging, including:
- Fast play and small payouts: Bets can be placed quickly. There may be small wins a big prize is rare, so you lose more than you win.
- Near misses: It looks like you’ve come close to a win, which encourages you to keep playing.
- Losses disguised as wins: You win less than you bet (so you have actually lost money) but the machine celebrates them as a win.
- Sensory appeal: Bright lights, sound effects, and animations are designed to capture attention.
- Multiple betting options: Betting on multiple lines or using multiple credits per line can lead to faster losses.
- Credits instead of cash: Using credits instead of real money can make it harder to track spending.
- Bonuses and jackpots: Free spins and progressive jackpots keep people playing.
Poker machines are built to make money for venue owners, not for their customers. If you play gaming machines you will lose money – and the more you play the more you lose.
Can you improve your odds?
Poker machines are games of chance. The outcome of each spin is completely random and independent of previous results. This means:
- Past wins or losses do not affect future outcomes.
- Strategies, lucky charms, or specific timing will not improve your chances.
- Each play is unpredictable and cannot be influenced.
The truth: the odds of winning a typical $5,000 prize on a $1 poker machine are 9,700,000 to 1.
Understanding Returns
Gaming machines are required to return 85–92% of all money bet over their lifetime. This does not mean you get back 85–92 cents for every dollar you bet. Returns are spread across millions of plays over many years. There is no way to speed up or guarantee this return. While you might have occasional wins, the longer you play, the more you will lose. With each spin, your losses accumulate
Myths about poker machines
Many people believe they can improve their chances of winning on poker machines, but these are all myths. No strategy or timing will change the outcome of a spin.
Myth: Machines have “hot” or “due” periods
Fact: Pokies are never ‘due for a win’. You cannot predict when there may be a pay out. Each spin is random, and past results have no effect on future outcomes.
Myth: Players or betting strategies can control outcomes
Fact: Outcomes are determined the moment you press the play button. You cannot influence results by changing your bet, timing your play, or using any other strategy or lucky charm
Myth: Payouts are predictable or guaranteed
Fact: Return to player percentages apply over the life of the machine not per session. Every spin is independent of all the spins that come before it – and what will happen next. You cannot predict a payout or guarantee a return from playing pokies. You can, however, expect to lose.
