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How to Cheat Pokies in 2024

28 August, 2024

Online casino games are experiencing massive expansion in New Zealand and pokie machines are at the core of the whole process. They are simple to play, feature tons of in-game bonuses and many of them even have progressive jackpot payouts.

An online gambling Random Number Generator (RNG) powers each pokie machine. These are AI tools that enforce fair play. They do so by creating random outcomes for each round. That is why online pokies are games of chance.

Over the years, many slot machine players devoted time to come up with ways to cheat these games. They do so by implementing certain strategies and betting sequences. That’s what we will talk about in this article. We know that you would like to know how to cheat the pokies so let’s see if that’s possible.

The Basics of Pokies

First things first, as the world’s most popular casino games, you must know how they work. To play slot machines, you must register at licensed online casinos. BestCasino’s team managed to research NZ’s market and find the top-rated platforms. So, you are more than welcome to browse our lists and find an operator that matches your preferences.

Each online pokie has a payline mechanic. Some games pay from left to right, some pay from right to left, and others pay both ways. Moreover, when you look at the paytable of the pokie, you will see that there’s a certain amount of paylines. They can be fixed or adjustable.

Fixed means that you cannot change them, and adjustable means that you can set a number of paylines, per your preferences. Modern pokies have newer mechanics such as Cluster Pays. They require you to land matching symbols that touch horizontally or vertically.

The goal with standard slots is to land at least 3 matching symbols on a payline, If you do so, you will receive a certain reward. The maximum reward depends on several things:

  • The RTP of the slot
  • Bet amount
  • Volatility rate
  • Maximum jackpot exposure

Of course, the goal when you play with your own money is to enjoy a fair and safe gaming environment. This is where RNGs come into play. By creating random outcomes, they give each Kiwi the same chance of winning.

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The Psychology Behind Pokies

By now, you must be wondering why are pokies the most popular games at both land-based and online casinos. This is where the psychological factor comes into play.

To catch the attention of players, the games must first have stunning visuals. That is how you make a good first impression. Well, online slots are as diverse as you can imagine. Not only do they have HD graphics, but their themes are endless (Aztec, ancient Greece, Nordic mythology, Ancient Egypt, adventure, apocalypse, horror, classic pokies, etc.).

Next, games must have simple rules and style of play. That is how players of all ages and skills will master them easily. That’s exactly what you can expect from a slot machine. Of course, you need to study the rules, but when it comes to playing, there are just two steps.

First, you set your bet and then, you spin the reels. RNGs instantly create an outcome. The spinning reels are just a cool visual.

The final psychological aspect is unique to the gambling industry. Although each player wants to have maximum fun while playing pokies, decent rewards also contribute to the experience. Major payouts are more than welcome.

Although not every online pokie can give you that, those that have a high volatility rate and are progressive can. The prize at progressive jackpot pokie machines constantly increases as players feed it. In many cases, it can cross several million NZ dollars.

If you are planning on playing and learning how to cheat the pokies, you must consider legal and ethical matters. By legal, we mean that you must be of legal age to play them. Furthermore, you need to be familiar with the legal status of the gambling industry itself.

In New Zealand, the NZ Gambling Commission is in charge of licensing casinos and making sure that they adhere to the laws. The Gambling Act of 2003 puts online gambling in the grey area. Gambling sites are not allowed to be based in the country. However, offshore sites can offer their services and face no repercussions.

When playing at offshore sites, each player must make sure that the casino itself holds a valid license. Some of the world’s most respected authorities are:

  • The UK Gambling Commission
  • Malta Gaming Authority
  • Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner
  • Spelinspektionen

Ethical Gaming

Ethical considerations are just as important as the legal ones. These mostly include responsible gambling. Playing responsibly incorporates several aspects. Some of them include limiting your time and budget, never chasing after losses or wins and never using bonuses and promotions that do not apply to games that you are unfamiliar with.

As you may know, online casinos in New Zealand are known for offering rewarding promos to registered players. However, not all of them apply to coin slot machines. Some are valid on other titles such as poker machine, blackjack and roulette games.

The main point here is to know the rules of the game that you are playing and make sure that you are spending a reasonable amount of real cash.

Strategies for Maximizing Wins

Okay, time to dissect the main theme of the article itself. Can you cheat pokies or not? Some people would think that they can use fake coins to win real money rewards. Well, if you were hoping to cheat pokies and add your name to the jackpot winners list, we have bad news for you.

All types of security and fair play tools power pokies games that are available at licensed casino sites. There’s no way to cheat and form a winning combination. The closest thing to cheating that you can do is use strategies.

Strategies will increase your chances of real money winnings and they are a cool advantage to have. However, they do not guarantee that you will win jackpots out of thin air. A few interesting strategies that you can implement when playing are:

  1. Use bonuses and promotions to your advantage. They allow you to win real cash by wagering your own money. If you claim a deposit bonus, make sure that its wagering requirements are low.
  2. Avoid pokies with countless bonus features. Keep it simple. Pokie machines that have multiple features are usually more complicated and their hit frequency is lower than usual.
  3. Pick the volatility level carefully. Highly volatile slot machines offer better rewards but their hit frequency is lower.
  4. Opt-in for above-average RTP rates. The standard pokie machine RTP is 96%. When searching for a decent game, make sure that its RTP is equal to or greater than 96%.
  5. Don’t chase after losses or wins. This often leads to overspending and losing a lot of money. Remember, pokies are games of chance. You might win 5 betting rounds in a row, but you might lose them as well.
  6. Stay out of progressive pokies and set bet limits. Unless you are a high roller, then you shouldn’t go after progressive pokies. They are extremely hard to beat and require you to bet a lot of money. Speaking of betting, make sure that you set your limits.

Analyzing Game Mechanics

Each online pokie has three mechanics that you should be aware of. The first one is the Return to Player rate (RTP), and then there are volatility and bonus features.

The Return to Player rate will tell you how much money you can expect from the pokie over a longer period. The math says that if a pokie has a 96% RTP, then you can expect NZ$96 in return for every NZ$100 that you bet in a long period.

Volatility says a lot about the jackpot payouts and the hit frequency. There are three main volatility levels – low, medium and high. The lower the volatility rate is, the lower the maximum exposure is, but the hit frequency is much higher.

Finally, bonus features make the gameplay all the more exciting. When playing pokies, you can come across all types of in-game bonuses. Some of them include free spins, bonus rounds, Wild Scatter symbols, Mystery symbols, Expanding symbols, expanding reels, gamble rounds, double chance, Megaways, etc.

Myth-Busting: Common Cheating Misconceptions

One of the greatest myths surrounding online casino pokies is whether the operators themselves rig them. After all, one would think that they might implement a computer chip of some sort to increase the profit of the casino itself.

The answer to the question is no. Licensed online casinos in New Zealand cannot rig the games. After all, each pokie must feature an RNG. These AI tools create random outcomes by themselves. Crypto casinos have even gone a step further and are using a concept called provably fair gaming.

Provably fair gaming is a bit superior to RNGs because it creates random outcomes and allows you to check if the betting round was random or not.

As a player, you cannot influence the RNG as well. You don’t even have access to that technology. Independent testing agencies and casinos accredit RNGs and players cannot influence them.

Exploiting Game Flaws Ethically

Sometimes, certain online pokies may have flaws. A player might capitalize on these flaws but they might create problems for them. This is where you must take the ethical concepts into play. If you think that the game has a certain flaw, you can try to exploit it.

The best way to do so is to access its demo mode and give it a few spins. This is how you will get the answer that you are looking for and won’t spend real money in the process. Then, report the problem to the casino itself and allow them to partner with the provider of the game itself and fix it.

Skill-Based Approaches

Playing online pokies is all about having luck. The only skills that are required in this game are those explained above in the strategy section. Some would think that you need to act fast when triggering certain features and the best way to do so is by having good eye-hand coordination. However, that does not have a major role.

Social and Environmental Factors

Playing pokies at online casinos is different than playing pokies at land-based establishments such as Caesars Boardwalk Regency Casino in Atlantic City or SkyCity Auckland. The biggest difference between the two is the social factor. Since many people visit land-based establishments, there’s far more dynamic. You can socialize, meet new friends and chat with staff. Online pokies are a bit lonelier in this aspect.

Online Pokies vs. Land-Based Pokies

One of the most commonly talked-about topics regarding slot machines is the debate between online and land-based pokies. Many NZ players want to know which games are superior. The short answer is online pokies and the comparison below will help you understand why.

Online pokies

✅ More bonus features

✅ High diversity

✅ Better RTP rates

✅ Accessible at any time and place

❌ Lack the socializing factor

Land-based pokies

❌ Usually have no bonus features

❌ Just a few themes to choose from at casinos

❌RTP rates are below 90%

❌ Only accessible at legal casinos

✅Far more socializing than online slots

Managing Expectations

As you can see, one of the disadvantages of online pokies is the fact that they are not too social. Land-based pokies are played in that type of environment. So, if you are expecting to meet new people while playing online games, you are in the wrong.

If you want to have the best experience, you must set realistic goals. That does not include just the social factor. This also includes the pokie game itself, the spending limits, chances of winning, etc.

Recognizing Problem Gambling

Recognizing that you have a problem gambling is one of the hardest things. Not only that, but it is also hard to put yourself in check over those activities. That is why it is good to place various limits when playing. If you don’t enforce these limits, you can recognize addictive gambling based on the time and money that you spend playing.

If you spend several hours a day playing online pokies and other games at online casinos, then you are likely developing an addiction and should get in touch with RG organizations. A few of these agencies that offer free help to Kiwi players are:

  • Gambling Helpline New Zealand
  • Problem Gambling Foundation NZ
  • The Salvation Army Oasis
  • Safer Gambling Aotearoa

Summary: Navigating the World of Pokies

The world of pokies is extremely entertaining. You will have plenty of fun while playing these games. However, if you think that there are ways to cheat them, you are mistaken. So, enjoy the ride, play games that match your preferences and don’t forget to gamble responsibly.

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