The word pokies refer to slot machines and is believed to have originated from the early 1900s. The first slot machines were actually versions of early video poker machines and 'pokies' is an Australian abbreviation of this. When fruit slot machines were introduced into casinos they were most probably placed along side the poker machines and as a collective, these machines were henceforth referred to as pokies. In Australia and New Zealand, online slot games are also referred to as pokies. { esctelecom }

Types of pokies

Traditionally, the original form of pokie was the 3-reel slot machine and in the online gambling world this translates to the 3-reel slot game. As there are only three reels on these pokies, the paylines can be from 1 to 5. The symbols on 3-reel pokies are normally traditional casino-related icons such as the 7 or BAR symbol and the jackpot symbol will normally be in line with the theme of the 3-reel pokie. The online versions of 3-reel pokies allow game providers to become more creative with the symbols.

The majority and most played pokies are the 5-reel slots. The layout is similar to 3-reel pokies but feature 5 reels instead of 3. This allows for anything between 5 and 50 paylines although some online 5-reel pokies can feature up to 100 paylines. With the introduction of way pays, which increases the players chances of winning with up to 243 way pays pokies. 5-reel pokies can also feature a host of extra features like free spins, wild and scatter symbols and can also be p on mobile devices.

Progressive Jackpot Pokies are normal 5 reel slots as described above, but are typically connected to a network of other progressive jackpot pokies at other online casinos, normally from the same online games provider. Progressive pokies can offer payouts to players much bigger than any individual pokie machine or game can offer, hence heir popularity at online casinos. The more these pokies are played, the bigger the jackpot prizes become. Progressive jackpot pokies typically offer different jackpot prizes in varying sizes with the grand jackpot the hardest to attain.

• 3-reel pokies
• 5-reel pokies
• Progressive pokies

Are there mobile pokies?

As mobile devices become more popular, online casino game providers have had to stay in line with these trends and also offer their games to operate on smaller screens. The same online pokies that you enjoy on your lappy can also be enjoyed on your mobile. Innovative casino game providers such as NetEnt uses HTML5 technology to allow their pokies to seamlessly cross-over between platforms. Sometimes the layout has to be modified to fit the experience onto a smaller screen resolution but all the features of your desktop pokie are there.

Whether you are an old pokie player or a newbie, there is an online pokie that will suit your gaming style. Do your research into online casinos that provide free pokies without requiring registration or a deposit. This way you can get an idea of the pokies on offer and the free play allows you to get a feel for a game until you find one that you can enjoy. Also, you get to try out the special game features without having to drop a hundy at the casino.