50 Lions
50 Lions leads the list on RTP with the gentlest volatility, but its maximum win is the smallest of the five.
- RTP
- 96.79%
- Volatility
- Medium-Low
- Max win
- 600x
- Lines
- 50
- African
- Aristocrat
Free play guide · Australia
Play pokies for free online in Australia: what to look for
Free pokies let you spin the reels without staking money, but the numbers behind them are the same as the paid version. This page explains what to check before you decide whether a game or a bonus is worth your time.
- 5pokies compared
- 96.79%best published return
- A$5max bet on a bonus
The shortlist
What stands up when you read the figures
The shortlist below is ranked on published RTP, then volatility and maximum win, and lists only the titles whose figures we could verify.
Checked on 19 October 2026
One table, all the numbers
Sort by whichever figure decides it for you.
| 150 Lions | 96.79% | Medium-Low | 600x | Aristocrat |
| 2Big Bass Bonanza Megaways | 96.72% | High | 2,100x | Pragmatic Play |
| 3Big Bass Bonanza | 96.71% | High | 2,100x | Pragmatic Play |
| 4Madame Destiny Megaways | 96.51% | High | 5,000x | Pragmatic Play |
| 5Gates of Olympus | 96.5% | High | 5,000x | Pragmatic Play |
Select a column heading to sort.
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways combines a high RTP with a large maximum win and high volatility, so it suits a bankroll that can absorb dry spells.
- RTP
- 96.72%
- Volatility
- High
- Max win
- 2,100x
- Lines
- megaways
- Fishing
- Pragmatic Play
Big Bass Bonanza
Big Bass Bonanza offers nearly the same figures on a standard reel set, with the same high volatility and maximum win.
- RTP
- 96.71%
- Volatility
- High
- Max win
- 2,100x
- Lines
- 10
- Fishing
- Pragmatic Play
Why the RTP figure matters more than the theme
Every pokie on the shortlist below publishes a return to player percentage. That figure is a long-run average across millions of spins, not a target for your session, and it does not rise because a game has been quiet. A machine with a higher RTP gives back more over time, which means less is retained by the game, but any single session can still end with the whole balance gone.
Volatility sits alongside RTP and describes how the returns arrive. A medium-low volatility game like 50 Lions tends to pay smaller amounts more often, while high volatility titles such as Big Bass Bonanza and Gates of Olympus can run long stretches without a meaningful win. Neither setting is better; they suit different bankrolls and different patience levels.
What demo mode does and does not show you
Free play runs the same maths model as the real-money version, so the RTP and volatility you read about still apply. What changes is that no money is at risk, which makes demo mode a reasonable way to learn a tumbling-reel mechanic or a multiplier round before you commit a deposit. It will not tell you how a game behaves with your own money on the line, because the maths does not know the difference.
The trap is treating a good demo run as evidence. A free session that pays well is one sample, and the published return figure is the average over a much larger number of spins. Use demo play to understand the rules and the bet sizes, not to build confidence that a paid session will follow the same path.
Check bonus conditions prior to depositing
A cash bonus is not free money; it comes with conditions that decide whether you can withdraw anything from it. Check the minimum deposit, the maximum bet allowed while a bonus is active, and how cashback is calculated, because these terms shape how the balance behaves before you have spun once. Wagering rules and game weighting usually sit in the same document and are worth reading in full.
If a term is unclear, the safer reading is the stricter one. A maximum bet on a bonus, for example, can void winnings from a single spin that exceeds it, and daily cashback is normally a percentage of losses rather than a refund of stakes. Take the published figures literally and assume nothing is discretionary.
FAQ
The questions behind the search
Can I really play pokies for free online in Australia?
Yes, many titles offer a demo mode that uses the same maths model as the real-money game. You can spin without depositing, but no real prize is paid and the session cannot be cashed out.
Do free pokies pay differently from paid ones?
No, the return to player and volatility figures apply to both versions of the same game. Free play removes the stake, not the house edge, so the long-run average is unchanged.
Is a high RTP game always the better choice?
Not necessarily, because RTP is a long-run average and says nothing about a single session. A high volatility game with a strong RTP can still drain a small bankroll quickly.
What should I check before claiming a deposit bonus?
Read the minimum deposit, the maximum bet allowed while the bonus is active, and how cashback is calculated. These terms decide how the bonus balance behaves and whether winnings can be withdrawn.