See the destruction caused by Australia's Pokie Plague...

See the destruction caused by Australia's Pokie Plague

A sneaky trick is robbing Australia of its wealth.Source:istock

  1. Ways to Really “Win” at Slots. If you want to win at pokies, the tips on this list are the best ways to achieve your goals. Each is grounded in common sense, so you won’t have to listen to nonsense about zig-zag patterns or hot and cold machines.
  2. Casino Secrets Revealed by Owner: How to WIN slots or pokies. Bonus: Gambling Psychology ExplainedDo you want to win more at slots or pokies? Do you know how.

We don’t limit in any way what you do with your money at the casino, play anything you wish. Here’s just a few things you can do. Enjoy the best pokies online, give the Roulette games a spin, play a hand or two of Blackjack and scratch a few scratch tickets Whatever you like. Slot machine video from casino expert Steve Bourie that teaches you the insider secrets to winning at slot machines and how a slot machine really works.

Best Way To Win On Pokies Pics

IT’S the mechanism that’s hoovering up our money, and now it’s under the spotlight as the screws turn on an industry accused of destroying Australia.

People whose lives have been ruined by pokies say they have been reeled in by “outrageous” features of these electronic gaming machines — and one is particularly shocking.

A landmark case against Australia’s “powerful” and “exploitative” gambling industry, which has been compared to guns in the US, began on Tuesday and will run for two weeks. News.com.au looked at its most alarming claims for part three of our special series on our pokies obsession (read part one and part two here).

REELED IN: THE FIFTH DIMENSION

The case against Crown Melbourne and Aristocrat Technologies in the Federal Court centres on one particular machine, Dolphin Treasure, which Monash University public health lecturer Charles Livingstone bought and took apart to see how the “game” worked. This is what he claims to have discovered:

• The machines have five “reels” covered in symbols. While the reels look identical on screen, the fifth reel is actually significantly bigger, with 44 symbols instead of just 30, meaning that getting a row of identical symbols is far harder than you think. “No matter how many ‘jackpot’ symbols you get on the first four reels, the big fifth reel keeps the odds stacked in favour of the house,” says Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Jacob Varghese.

• The symbols are not evenly distributed between the reels — so the first, second and third reel could have seven kings and the fourth reel only two. Consequently, even though you might regularly see a line of kings the first three positions, getting a king in the fourth spot would be close to impossible.

“It’s like playing a game of cards without knowing that the deck has four aces of spades, three queen of hearts and 7 tens of diamonds. It’s rigged,” says Mr Varghese. “And the effect on players is that they see these symbols coming up constantly, but they don’t know that their real odds are determined by the reel with the lowest number of the given symbol.”

If you did this in a game of cards, it would be illegal, say supporters of the case.

Former addict Shonica Guy claims the game is rigged and is taking the powerful industry through the courts. Picture: AAP Image/Joe CastroSource:AAP

‘IT IS WRONG, AND IT HAS TO STOP’

Not only are the reels “deceptive and misleading”, there are a number of other features built into the machines that cause untold harm, claims lead applicant and former addict Shonica Guy.

One of these is “losses disguised as wins” — an idea her lawyer Jennifer Kanis calls “outrageous”.

Here’s how it works: The gambler can spend as much as $10 on one line, or spin. Say they do that. Then they press the button and get a few matching symbols on the screen. Lights flash, music blares and they are told they have won $4. In fact, they have lost $6.

It’s a simple trick, but the sounds and visuals have been found to activate pleasure centres in our brains. We feel good. “The idea of losses disguised as wins is outrageous,” said Ms Kanis. “A win should be a win.

“These features act to draw a player in and make them feel they have a better chance of winning than they do. The machines cause addiction.”

The final part of the case looks at warnings: By law, pokies have to state the risk taken by players. States and territories set a minimum “return to player” of between 85 and 90 per cent.

Dolphin Treasure states that it returns 87.83 per cent. However, this “return to player” is just an average on any given spin, Ms Guy points out. A return of 87.83 per cent means you lose an average of 12.17 per cent each spin. If you play multiple games — as the machines encourage — you most likely will be left with nothing.

“These machines took over my life for 14 years, and I do not want that to happen to another family,” said Ms Guy. “People deserve to know what is going on with the design of these machines, which deliberately give people false hope that they have a chance of winning to keep them playing.

“It is wrong, and it has to stop.”

Dolphin Treasure poker machine is under the microscope for features described as ‘deceptive’ and ‘feeding addiction’.Source:News Limited

GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA LIKE ‘GUNS IN AMERICA’

Anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello claims the industry is the most powerful in Australia, criticising state governments for being enslaved to its donations and revenue. “The gambling industry in Australia is equivalent to guns in America,” he told reporters. “They are the equivalent of the National Rifle Association in Australia. That’s why we have the greatest number of problem gamblers bar no country in the world, because of the power of this industry.

“Australia is facing a gambling crisis and the sooner we can get more attention on the unfair drivers behind this and clean up the industry, the better.”

He said pokies were “dangerously addictive” and the trial gave “hope to everyone campaigning to wind back Australia’s tragic record of being the biggest gamblers in the world.”

His colleague at the Alliance of Gambling Reform, Allison Keogh, said the trial “should have happened years ago to mitigate the enormous harm which is imposed on communities year after year by a rich, powerful and well-connected industry.”

Ms Guy’s lawyer Ron Merkel QC told the court the case was “about looking at the design features of the machines and the way they are presented and the way they exploit vulnerable people.”

A public inquiry in 2010 found there were 115,000 severe “problem gamblers” in Australia, with a further 280,000 categorised as at “moderate risk” — but campaigners believe the figures may be far higher. News.com.au has been contacted by scores of people confessing to a problem with pokies since the start of this series on Tuesday. It would appear almost everyone knows someone affected by gambling.

‘GAMBLERS’ HIGH’ CRITICAL TO POKIES SUCCESS

Aristocrat patents are available to read. Read them & get educated to never touch the pokies again. 🎰🎰🎰🎰🔥🔥🔥🔥https://t.co/HB4CR7A5dNpic.twitter.com/pg16goELqc

— Zer0%_RTP🎰💳🔥 (@andygosling2) September 13, 2017

Ms Guy is fighting for a ban on the supply and operation of the Dolphin Treasure machine or anything similar, which could have far-reaching consequences for the pokies industry.

Crown’s lawyer Neil Young QC said the machines were tested and approved by Victoria’s independent statutory authority regulating the gambling industry — there is one for every state. Mr Young said Crown was “entirely reliant” on the approval and had no access to the machine software, nor was it in a position to change its configuration.

Poker machines have to comply with the Australia/New Zealand Gaming Machine National Standard, which include “responsible gambling measures”.

Gaming Technologies Association CEO Ross Ferrar told news.com.au there is clear legislation (usually state-determined), regulation and national standards on pokies. “The national standard says you can’t give a player a false expectation of odds, you’ve got to accurately represent them, and ensure the result is not misleading, illusory or deceptive so players can make an informed choice.”

He said there was help available for problem gamblers including statewide self-exclusion in NSW — in other states, you must visit every venue separately to get yourself banned. Mr Ferrar believes “problem gambling is on the decline” in Australia thanks to measures introduced over the years, including:

• showing the amount won/lost in dollars as well as points

• having a clock on the screen

• slowing the game down by not allowing players to interrupt the spin.

Crown and Aristocrat strongly deny the allegations against them. A spokeswoman for Crown — which houses 38 of the machines — said it was “vigorously defending the claim” but could not comment further with the matter before the court.

Aristocrat added that it “emphatically rejects any suggestion that its games are designed to encourage problem gambling, or in any way fail to comply with all relevant regulations and laws.”

If the case succeeds, the ramifications could be huge, forcing Crown and Aristocrat to remove or redesign Dolphin Treasure and opening the door for further action against the industry.

The trial continues.

If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, contact Gamblers Anonymous for help.

Leave a comment below, share your story with emma.reynolds@news.com.au or tweet @emmareyn. News.com.au’s series on Australia’s pokies obsession continues tomorrow.

Unlike the majority of online casino games, pokies really don’t have a straightforward playing strategy that you can use to win. Your gameplay usually has to be dynamic; you keep adjusting your strategy depending on the pokie you are playing and whether or not you are aiming at the jackpot. But then again, just like any other games, pokies are games that require constant practice and learning more tips and tricks that will eventually make you a pokie master.

So, if you’ve been looking for new ways to take your gaming prowess a notch higher so that you can rake in more rewards, in the end, you are in the right place. We have drafted several tried and tested ways you can employ on your day-to-day pokie gameplay so that you can win significant rewards.

Ways To Win On Pokies

Understand the Game

Understanding the game is not only important for pokies but also for any other casino game that you would like to win. And for pokie games, they come in many different kinds, which means that your way of playing must also be flexible; that’s why you must understand every single game before you finally decide to play it.

24 VIP Casino

300% Match Up + 240 Free SpinsT & C Apply

Joe Fortune Casino

200% up to $5,000 BonusT & C Apply

For instance, you should know that there are some which are a little old fashioned because they come with only one payline running on 3 reels. However, you should know that 3-reel pokies usually have low volatility. In as much as you can win more frequently, the payout is typically very low.

Modern pokies, on the other hand, come with a multi-payline structure plus other high paying features such as multipliers, bonus rounds, free spins and so on. Taking 5-reeled pokies, for example, they come with very high payouts but are highly unpredictable as well. It’s a risky option even though you can secure much bigger winnings from them.

Best Way To Win On Pokies Pics

Thus, to be on the right side of winning, you must understand how the game works, and the kind of payou

Keeping your winnings on the side

Best Way To Win On Pokies On Tv

Are you on a winning spree? Well, if you want to keep your money, it is always a good practice to keep your winnings aside with every payout you receive. You should withdraw that payout to a separate online account from the pokie machine. This is essential because after you have depleted your deposits, you might be tempted to use your winnings. In case your lucky streak comes to earn end, you could end up playing through all your won cash if you haven’t already withdrawn it!

Best Way To Win On Pokies Showing

Play for free first before spending real money

It is always a good idea to play for free first before you embark on real money games. When you take some time to play for free, you will have the opportunity to practice first and master the game to minimise the chances of losing. Moreover, free pokie play will also allow you to test the pokie and see if it is the right one for you. So, if you find a machine boring, you can quickly switch to another one till you finally find one that suits you best.

Set Bankroll limits per playing sessions

Setting money limits in every playing session is exceptionally economical. By doing this, you decrease the chances of losing control of your funds in case things don’t go your way.

As a rule of thumb, never spend what you can’t afford to lose! Make a habit of spending only the amount you had already planned on spending.

Pokies

Walk away if you land a massive win

If at some point you get pretty lucky and land yourself a massive jackpot it is highly advisable that you leave to enjoy the money and gamble another day. This is because there is a high chance that you might get tempted to continue playing and see whether the reward can get any bigger. As a result, you may end up losing a great deal of money in the process, cash that you could have enjoyed if you had left sooner.

Place maximum bets on the lines for jackpots

Are you the kind of Aussie gamer who likes to chase the money-spinning jackpots on a progressive pokie machine, you should always know that it takes maximum bets per line to hit the jackpot. On any progressive machines. So, check the maximum coin sizes applicable and if your budget allows it, have your way with the machine!

To get more bang out of your back, keep the above tips in mind whenever you decide to start spinning the pokie reels. You’ll thank us later!