What “best paying” really means
Best paying means three different things in pokie talk, and mixing them up leads to bad choices. The three measures are RTP, volatility and maximum win, and no single game wins on all of them.
RTP: the long-run return
RTP (return to player) is the share of money bet that a game returns over a very large number of spins. At 96.50%, every A$1,000 of total bets returns A$965 on average and costs A$35. Real sessions swing far from that average, in both directions. When people search for “best RTP pokies”, this is the figure they want.
Volatility: how the return arrives
Volatility describes how wins are spread. Starburst is listed as low volatility, so wins are small and frequent. Lady Wolf Moon Megaways is listed as very high, so most spins return nothing and a few return a lot. Two games with the same RTP can feel very different. For the basics of both, see our how to play pokies guide.
Max win: the ceiling
Max win is the biggest payout a game allows, written as a multiple of the stake. Sweet Bonanza lists 21,175x, Lady Wolf Moon Megaways 6,000x, Big Bass Bonanza 2,100x. A higher ceiling usually belongs to a high-volatility game, so it is a measure of what is possible, not of what is likely.
The highest RTP pokies, ranked
The table below is sorted by RTP, highest first, and uses the figures we hold for each game. Casinos can run other versions, so treat these as the headline numbers.
Table of high RTP pokies
| Game | Studio | RTP | Volatility | Max win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonanza Trillion | BGaming | 97.17% | High | 5,000x |
| Immortal Romance | Games Global (Microgaming) | 96.86% | High | not listed |
| Lady Wolf Moon Megaways | BGaming | 96.75% | Very high | 6,000x |
| Big Bass Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.71% | High | 2,100x |
| Rise of Merlin | Play’n GO | 96.58% | High | 5,000x |
| The Dog House | Pragmatic Play | 96.51% | High | not listed |
| Gates of Olympus | Pragmatic Play | 96.50% | High | 5,000x |
| Sweet Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.48% | High | 21,175x |
| Wild Cash | BGaming | 96.23% | High | 1,059x |
| Book of Dead | Play’n GO | up to 96.21% | High | 5,000x |
| Starburst | NetEnt | 96.09% | Low | about 500x |
| 9 Coins | Voltent | 96.06% | Adjustable | 5,000x |
| Wolf Gold | Pragmatic Play | 96.01% | Medium | not listed |
| Mega Moolah | Games Global (Microgaming) | 88.12% | Medium | not listed |
What the table shows
The top of the table is crowded: the first nine games sit within 1 percentage point of each other, between 97.17% and 96.23%. That is A$10 per A$1,000 of bets at most. Volatility is the better tie-breaker for most players. Notice that nearly every high-RTP game is also high volatility, so a high RTP does not mean gentle play.
Our top picks by RTP
These five picks are listed in order of RTP, from the games where our notes hold the most detail. Each one comes with the reason it earns its place and the catch.
1. Bonanza Trillion, 97.17%
Bonanza Trillion from BGaming has the highest RTP in our list at 97.17%, with high volatility and a 5,000x maximum win. Symbols pay anywhere on the grid, random multipliers up to x500 can land in free spins, and a progressive multiplier builds through the round. The catch is the volatility: expect long stretches without a feature.
2. Immortal Romance, 96.86%
Immortal Romance from Games Global (Microgaming) is listed at 96.86% and high volatility. It is the second-highest RTP in the table and the highest among the games here that come from Games Global. We do not hold a max win figure for it, so treat the ceiling as unknown and check the paytable.
3. Lady Wolf Moon Megaways, 96.75%
This BGaming Megaways game sits at 96.75% with very high volatility and a 6,000x maximum win. The changing number of ways per spin gives it its swings. It suits players with a larger budget who accept dry runs, not a A$50 session.
4. Big Bass Bonanza, 96.71%
Big Bass Bonanza from Pragmatic Play is listed at 96.71% with high volatility and a 2,100x maximum win. In free spins the fisherman collects fish money symbols. The lowest ceiling of the five, but the feature is easy to understand, which makes it a good first read of a paytable.
5. Gates of Olympus, 96.50%
Gates of Olympus is listed at 96.50%, with a 6x5 scatter-pays grid, tumbling wins, random multiplier orbs and multipliers that build in free spins. Its 5,000x maximum win and high volatility make it a feature-driven game. This is the figure we use in our worked example: A$1,000 of bets returns A$965 on average, a cost of A$35.
RTP versions: why the same game can pay differently
The same pokie can run at different RTPs at different casinos, because some studios sell several configurations of a single game. The game name stays the same, and the info screen is the only place to see which version you are playing.
The Book of Dead example
Book of Dead from Play’n GO is listed at up to 96.21%. Casinos can run lower versions, and tables show roughly 94-96%. At 94%, a A$1,000 stake has an expected cost of A$60, against A$38 at 96.21%. That is a gap of A$22 per A$1,000 for the same name on the same reels.
What we saw at Westio
Westio ran the higher RTP configurations on the titles we checked. We name that as one site’s result on the games we looked at, not a promise for every game or a permanent setting. Our Westio review has the wider picture.
How to find the RTP in the game
- Open the game and tap the menu, info or “i” icon.
- Read the rules or help pages and look for “RTP” or “return to player”.
- If a figure is shown, compare it with the headline value in the table above.
- If no figure is shown, assume the lower version and pick another game.
Why Mega Moolah’s 88.12% is the price of a jackpot
Mega Moolah is listed at 88.12% RTP, far below the others, because it is a networked progressive jackpot. The low base RTP is the price of the jackpot: part of each bet funds a shared prize pool, so the everyday paytable returns less.
What 88.12% costs in practice
Over A$1,000 of bets, the long-run expected cost at 88.12% is A$118.80, more than three times the A$35 at 96.50%. You pay that premium for a chance at a very large prize. Our jackpot pokies guide explains the formats and the trade-off in detail.
The cost of A$2,000 of spins at three RTPs
The worked example below shows what RTP means in dollars. Take A$2,000 of total bets, for instance 2,000 spins at A$1. The long-run expected return is the stake times the RTP, and the cost is what is left.
| RTP | Expected return | Expected cost |
|---|---|---|
| 97.17% | A$1,943.40 | A$56.60 |
| 94% | A$1,880.00 | A$120.00 |
| 88.12% | A$1,762.40 | A$237.60 |
Reading the numbers
Moving from 94% to 97.17% cuts the expected cost by A$63.40 on the same A$2,000 of bets. Moving from 88.12% to 97.17% cuts it by A$181. These are averages. A real A$2,000 run can end well above or well below, and a short session can pay a big win at any RTP. The numbers show the price of play, not a forecast.
How to choose between high RTP pokies
Because the top RTPs sit so close together, pick between them on volatility, max win and your budget. The RTP gap between the first and the ninth game in the table is under one percentage point, so the feel of the game should decide.
If your budget is small
With A$50 to spend, a low-volatility game gives you more time on the reels. Starburst is listed at 96.09% with low volatility, and at A$0.50 per spin a A$50 budget gives 100 spins. Its RTP is lower than the leaders by about 1.08 points, which is A$10.80 per A$1,000 of bets, a small price for a calmer session. A high-volatility game at the same stake can end in a few minutes or run for a long time, and you cannot tell which in advance.
If you want a feature to chase
Games built around a big feature, such as the multiplier free spins in Bonanza Trillion or the multiplier orbs in Gates of Olympus, spend most of their return inside that feature. If you play them, set the stake so that a long wait for the feature does not drain the budget. A rough guide is to allow at least 100 spins, and more if the game is rated very high.
If you want an adjustable ride
9 Coins from Voltent is listed at 96.06% RTP with adjustable volatility, and a Hold & Win style coin mechanic. Adjustable volatility lets you choose between smaller, more frequent wins and bigger, rarer ones inside the same game, so the RTP stays roughly where the table says while the shape of the return changes.
What not to chase
Do not pick a pokie because a stranger says it “pays”. Do not move to another game after a loss because the first one “owes” you, since no game owes anything. And do not read a high RTP as a promise: it is a long-run average, and the long run is far longer than any evening.
Bonuses and high RTP pokies
Bonus wagering can change which pokie is worth playing, because casinos weight games differently toward the requirement. Atefia counts high-RTP pokies 100% toward wagering, and it is listed for clearing bonuses. Its welcome package is 350% up to A$15,000 plus 500 free spins.
Matching RTP to wagering
A bonus with 35x wagering on a A$50 deposit plus a A$50 bonus means A$3,500 of bets before you can cash out: 35 times A$100. At 96.50% that costs about A$122.50 in expected terms. At 94%, it is A$210. A higher RTP lowers the price of clearing a bonus. Our pokies bonuses guide covers the terms to read.
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Our WinCrown pick
WinCrown is our top-ranked site, with 5,000+ pokies from 60+ providers. If you want a broad library to search by RTP, our WinCrown review shows the test results behind the ranking.
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How to use this list responsibly
A high RTP lowers the cost of play but never removes it, so budget as though every session costs money. Set a deposit limit, choose a stake that gives you at least 100 spins, and stop at your limit. Pokies are paid entertainment with a built-in house edge. Read our legal guide before you deposit at an offshore site, and our responsible gambling page if play stops being fun.
Where to get help
Gambling Help Online is free and available 24/7 on 1800 858 858. You must be 18 or over to play.