50 Lions
50 Lions has the highest published return on the list at 96.79% and the lowest volatility, which suits shorter sessions with smaller swings.
- RTP
- 96.79%
- Volatility
- Medium-Low
- Max win
- 600x
- Lines
- 50
- African
- Aristocrat
Pokie guide · Australia
Best rated online pokies — the list, and the fine print behind it
A rating is only as good as the figure behind it, and this page sets out the five pokies on the shortlist next to the published numbers that put them there. It also sets out the deposit terms a reader will meet before any of those figures matter.
- 5pokies compared
- 96.79%best published return
- A$5max bet on a bonus
The figures, side by side
The shortlist below is ordered by published return-to-player figure, with volatility, maximum win and line count shown alongside it.
Checked on 19 October 2026
The whole list, in one grid
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 publishes a return of 96.72% but pairs it with high volatility and a 2,100x maximum win, so the average is reached through long gaps.
- RTP
- 96.72%
- Volatility
- High
- Max win
- 2,100x
- Lines
- megaways
- Fishing
- Pragmatic Play
Big Bass Bonanza
Big Bass Bonanza sits marginally lower at 96.71% with the same high volatility and maximum win, differing mainly in its ten-line format.
- RTP
- 96.71%
- Volatility
- High
- Max win
- 2,100x
- Lines
- 10
- Fishing
- Pragmatic Play
What a rating is actually measuring
A high rating on a pokies list usually points to a published return-to-player figure first, then volatility, then the size of the maximum win. Those three numbers describe different things and they do not move together. A game can sit near the top of the shortlist on return and still carry high volatility, which means long quiet stretches between paying spins.
The return figure is a long-run average across millions of spins. It is not a target for a session, and a session of a hundred spins can finish far above or far below it. The volatility rating describes how widely results swing around that average, so a high-volatility game is not a better game, just a different shape of risk.
Why max win is not a plan
The maximum win column shows the largest multiple of the stake a game can pay, and the shortlist shows how wide that range is. It is a ceiling built into the maths, not a likely outcome, and most sessions never come close to it. A large number in that column can make a game look stronger than a neighbouring title with a smaller one.
Read the max win next to the volatility, not on its own. A high maximum with high volatility means the ceiling is attached to rare events, and the ordinary spins in between are where a bankroll is actually spent.
The deposit terms behind the list
The partner publishes a first deposit offer of a 600% cash bonus, daily cashback of 10% of losses, a minimum deposit of US$20 and a maximum bet on a bonus of A$5. The last term is the one that changes how a bonus can be used, because a stake above the cap can void the bonus and anything won with it.
Cashback is calculated on losses, not on turnover, so it does not offset a losing session spin by spin; it is a partial return after the fact. The minimum deposit is stated in US dollars, so the amount that leaves an Australian account depends on the conversion at the time.
Quick answers before you decide
What does best rated mean for an online pokie?
It normally means the game has a high published return-to-player figure, and the list then sorts by volatility and the size of the maximum win. None of those figures describe a session you are about to play; they describe the game over a very long run.
Is a higher RTP always the better choice?
A higher return figure means a slightly smaller share of total stakes is kept by the game over the long run, so it is a reasonable tiebreaker between two similar titles. It says nothing about how a single session will go, and a high-volatility game can still empty a balance quickly.
Does a big maximum win make a pokie worth playing?
The maximum win is a built-in ceiling, not a forecast. On high-volatility games the ceiling is tied to rare combinations, so the payout most players see is the ordinary one between those events.
What is the risk with a deposit bonus?
Bonus terms usually cap the stake that can be placed while a bonus is active, and the partner's published cap is A$5 per bet. A stake above the cap can void the bonus and any winnings from it, so the cap is worth reading before the first spin.