Table of Contents
- Real Money Online Slots Sites
- What Makes the Best Slots Real Money Sites
- The Benefits of Playing Real Money Slots Online
- Understanding Online Slots – How to Win Real Cash with Online Slots
- Different Online Slots for Real Money
- Tips for Choosing Slots for Real Money Online
- Real Money Slots Online Bonuses
- What You Should Know About Real Money Online Slots Wagering Requirements
- Software Providers of the Best Online Slots
- History of Slots – From the First Slot Machine to the Onset of Online Gaming
- Online Slots for Real Money FAQ
Real Money Online Slots Sites
Online slots sites in New Zealand are real money gaming platforms. A slot site is basically anywhere you can play online slots, and this includes online casinos and online bingo sites NZ. They allow you to win cash for placing wagers on real money pokies. Any New Zealand real money site accepting kiwi players must be licensed and regulated. A licence ensures fair play, security and player protection. The range of licensed platforms in New Zealand includes both established and new slot sites. More brands join the market every year, and there is often an enormous library of games.
Most of these sites are white-label slot sites. This means the operator leases or buys the entire online casino package from platform providers like Jumpman Gaming and White Hat Gaming. These platform providers are often game aggregators as well, so they have dozens or hundreds of game developer partners, all of whose games will be available along with the package. There are sometimes shared promotions with massive prize pools, enabling more ways to win real cash on online pokies.
What Makes the Best Slots Real Money Sites
At casinos.win, we rate real money slots online sites based on several factors. Naturally, every operator has its strengths and weaknesses. Some are better described as high-payout slot sites. Others may be considered among the best mobile slot sites or the best bonus slot sites. Ultimately, your preference plays a part in deciding the perfect destination for you, but you should be looking for sites that at least get a pass in each of these aspects.
Your Favorite Slot Games
Rather than a simple variety of titles, you should go for pokies sites with the games you enjoy playing. This is on the basis that you’ve played slots before and have a good idea of what suits your tastes. The best slots real money sites for you are those that offer games that you like.
If you’re just dipping your feet into the slot waters, then your safest bet is on popular games from renowned software providers. Our recommended NZ online slot sites all feature a good mix of quality providers and have most of the biggest names covered.
Availability of Pokie Bonuses
Online bonuses are a must. So when you’re looking for a slot site to join, you want to have a welcome bonus waiting for you. Free spins are the best bonuses for pokies, so any slot site focusing on these games should offer one. You don’t just want any bonus, though. You should check the quality of the offer and if the deal is of any value. You can do this by checking the wagering requirements.
Other Casino Games
There’s never really an online gaming platform that just sticks to one game. They often merge several gaming categories into one. So on the same site, you can find real money online slots, table games, bingo, live dealer games, poker, etc. The bottom line is any slots real money site worth your time should have other casino games.
The best sites won’t just include these games for the sake of it. They’ll provide a range of quality titles so that players who wish to try them out will have a good choice of options and an equally memorable experience.
Excellent Mobile Experience
A good online pokie site should also be an excellent mobile slot site. There’s no slot site that doesn’t have a mobile offering nowadays, but what makes the difference is the usability and mobile interface.
A quality mobile experience includes a stellar UI, optimised layout, and high responsiveness. Quick-loading pages and an attractive design will make it so that the site works and looks great. Several sites take a mobile-first approach where their offerings are fitted to mobile play first before being adapted to desktop. Some will go further and provide a mobile app.
Payments like PayPal
PayPal is a world-leading e-wallet and a primary payment method at many of the best sites. PayPal slot sites usually allow quick deposits and withdrawals with varied transaction limits and no fees imposed by the operator. Most importantly, transactions with this channel are highly secure.
Where there are such methods like PayPal, that’s already one good sign that your payments are in good hands. Paysafecard, Skrill, Neteller, and POLi are other reliable providers enabling deposits and withdrawals at the best slot sites.
The Benefits of Playing Real Money Slots Online
The advantages of online gaming, such as convenience, mobile accessibility and playing on the go, are the first things that come to mind. These are the reasons why many are choosing to play online nowadays as opposed to visiting land-based establishments. However, playing at online slots for real money is about more than just the convenience of it. Online pokies deliver a better experience because there’s more variety. Land-based casinos don’t hold a candle to online platforms when it comes to the sheer amount of games available to play.
New slot games are released very frequently. Every week, there are at least several new titles hitting the market. Slot sites are also heavy on bonuses, and this usually adds value to your gaming experience.
Another benefit is that online slots have a better RTP than land-based machines. The same slot that has, say, a 90% RTP on the casino floor can offer a 95% payout rate online or higher. Physical slot parlours have higher fees on bets and hence a higher house edge. Online slot casinos do not have the overhead costs as land-based casinos do and are cheaper to maintain. Hence the lower fees and the higher RTP.
Understanding Online Slots – How to Win Real Cash with Online Slots
Pokies are the easiest games to play when visiting a real money casino for the first time, online or offline. They are chance-based games where you only have to place a bet and hit the spin button. You wait to see if you’ve won when the reels come to a rest. A random number generator (RNG) generates randomised outcomes for each spin.
The appeal is that they come in many different types. They are simple to play, so anyone can enjoy them with little or no prior knowledge. At the same time, they are engaging to watch and can drop some impressive payouts if you get lucky. They’re the ultimate gambling games.
Different Online Slots for Real Money
The top pokie sites can have up to 3000 slots or more. Such a large variety breeds diversity, and these games come in different shapes and sizes with varying reel setups, features and game engines. Here are the different types of slots for real money online:
Classic Slots
Classic slots are the oldest design of this game. For starters, they are super simple, with stripped-down features, reels and paylines. They usually have just 3 reels with as few as 1 payline. Classic pokies online replicate the original slot machines, the so-called one-armed bandits, that were played long before the advent of internet gaming. The standard symbols here are BAR, 7s, and bells. They usually only feature Wild symbols and a bonus symbol that can trigger a jackpot payout.
Despite this simplistic approach and the innovation and technology of modern pokie variants, there’s a huge following of classic slot lovers. Indeed classics never die. Several software providers are known for developing classic-inspired pokies with a modern twist. Jackpot 6000, Lucky Stripes and Triple Diamond are some top picks for classic slots.
Video Slots
Most of the games at any real money online slots site are video pokies. They’re the most common variant, and the standard setup is 5 reels, although they come in a great variety. These games have many bonus features, including free spins, multipliers, cascading reels, Wilds, Scatters, etc.
They also have a variety of themes, so that fun game inspired by Irish luck, the animal kingdom or Greek mythology is almost certainly a video slot. Among the most popular video slots are Gonzo’s Quest, Starburst, and Big Bonanza.
3D Slots
Three-dimensional pokies take video slot graphics up several notches with vibrant animations, cinematic soundtracks and lifelike graphics. Operators like Betsoft have made a name for themselves by offering the best 3D slots. Titles like Mr Vegas, Good Girl Bad Girl, and Magic Shoppe offer the most immersive gaming experiences. Like video slots, you get lots of action with free spins, pick-me bonus games, and more.
Jackpot Slots
Jackpot slots are of two kinds, static jackpots and progressive jackpot pokies. The first offers a fixed jackpot amount that can be triggered by a specific combination of symbols or through a bonus game. Progressive slots do not have a fixed amount. Instead, the jackpot continues increasing as bets are placed on the game until a lucky player wins. Progressive jackpots can reach mind-boggling amounts. Microgaming’s Mega Moolah slot has the record highest progressive payout of €19,430,723.60. These jackpots usually trigger randomly.
Fruit Machines
Technically, fruit machines are a kind of classic slots. However, their distinctive feature is that they use fruity symbols – typically, oranges, grapes, lemons, watermelons, and plums.
These games are usually what you’ll find at arcades and pubs, and they’ve migrated to the online scene as well. They are a great escape to simpler times as they offer uncomplicated gameplay with a bright and welcoming look. They can have some of the best RTPs, which is why players love them. Due to their popularity, several modern video slots incorporate the fruit theme inspired by these games.
Branded Slots
Branded slots are licensed from TV shows, movies, comics, or other brands. Game of Thrones, Hell’s Kitchen, and Justice League are some top branded slots. Being linked to such huge franchises, these pokies attract the interest of existing players and may urge new customers to sign up for a slot site to try them.
These games are highly polished and don’t hold back on the best technology considering the successful brands sponsoring them. They are also nostalgic, taking you back to the best memories of the show or film.
Megaways
It’s necessary to give Megaways slots a category of their own. The Megaways engine is a random reel modifier mechanic that allows some insane number of ways to win. The standard is up to 117,649 win ways, but several slots take it much higher than that.
Big Time Gaming introduced this reel mechanic in their Bonanza Megaways slot in 2016. Since then, plenty of other developers, like Blueprint Gaming, NextGen, and NetEnt, have acquired the licence to use this game engine in their own slots. Due to the nature of these games, they usually come with unique features like cascading reels where every winning combination disappears from the screen allowing new ones to fall in place and potentially trigger more wins.
Tips for Choosing Slots for Real Money Online
Like slot sites, not every online slot game is worth your time or money. Whether your preference is classic slots, video pokies, or jackpot variants, you’ll want to play a well-developed game that will offer you good winning chances and great entertainment. Below are some pointers to help you choose the best slot games:
Popular Software Provider
This may seem a little biased, but the truth is that popular software providers are popular because players love their games. Take brands like NetEnt, Playtech or Pragmatic Play, for instance. These software companies have been around for a long time and have had the time to fine-tune their game development processes. They deliver superb graphics, innovative bonus features, and compelling soundtracks for an immersive experience. They are often providers of branded games because the patent holders trust in their reliability. These famous real money slots providers have a track record of releasing quality games and won’t be looking to dent their image anytime soon.
That’s not to say that lesser-known providers can’t deliver quality. But gambling is all a game of chance and probability. Popular providers with a reputation to protect are more likely to maintain quality standards than relatively unknown developers.
Go for Higher RTPs
These games are designed with mathematics; depending on the maths model, some pay more than others. Slot RTP (Return To Player) is how much the slot will pay out in the long run or over several bets placed into it. It doesn’t determine how much you win per bet because outcomes are random. However, it tells you how generous the game can be in giving back to players. When faced with a low RTP pokie and a high RTP one, the latter is the better choice.
Below are a few of the highest RTP slots:
- Jackpot 6000 – 98.9%
- 1429 Uncharted Seas – 86.6%
- Rainbow Riches Pick ‘n Mix – 98%
- Blood Suckers – 98%
- White Rabbit Megaways – 97.72%
Bonus Features offer Greater Action
Bonus features often increase a slot’s winning potential. Imagine a game offering up to 50 free spins and one with only 10 free spins. The first option enables 5x as many chances to get lucky. Features like sticky Wilds, avalanche reels, respins, and more are all there to increase your chances of winning.
Nothing is guaranteed since outcomes are totally random. However, even without winning, bonus features deliver lots of entertainment in these games. It’s fun just watching the best reel mechanics play out. The exception to this is obviously classic slots designed for those specifically looking to avoid all the explosive features and visual effects.
Consider the Max Win
Max win is the largest amount a game can pay besides progressive jackpots. This is self-explanatory, really. If you’ve got two otherwise similar games, you should go for the one that can allow you to win a larger amount. You can find high max win games across all pokie variants. Some of the highest-paying releases include:
- Starburst Xxxtreme – 200,000x
- Peking Luck – 180,000x
- Lil’ Devil – 100,000x
- Extra Juicy – 60,000x
- Money Train 2 – 50,000x
Find Games with a Wide Betting Range
NZ slot players have different tastes and gaming preferences, in the same way as they have different bankroll levels. The betting range on a slot determines how little or how much you can bet. Pokies with low betting limits will suit casual players, while high betting limits will support big spenders. The best slots, however, should accommodate both. This allows you to switch up your strategy as you play.
Real Money Slots Online Bonuses
Everyone knows these incentives are a standard at gambling sites nowadays, so it’s hard to imagine any operator without them. The best real money slot sites will always have generous online slot bonuses. The common kind offered at slot sites is none other than free spins bonuses. These are slot-focused since they allow a certain number of slot spins for free. Cash bonuses are also available at these sites. For instance, a welcome deposit match will allow you to bet on pokies or other casino games. The top slot sites will usually tend towards free spins offers, or better still, a combination of cash and free spins.
Free spins at slot sites may require you to deposit to receive them. Other times the operator may provide pokies no deposit offers, where you don’t have to spend any of your own money before you begin playing. The selected games for free spins are usually the most popular titles, like Starburst and Book of Dead. You may also get to use them on a group of games, maybe NetEnt or Microgaming pokies.
So far, these are new player free spin offers we’ve been talking about. There are also free spins for existing customers. Slot sites regularly offer them as reload bonuses and VIP rewards. We’ve also found that operators offer free spin drops to promote new slots or to incentivize kiwi players to try a specific game.
Lately, pokie tournaments are a go-to promo for slot sites, and software providers like Pragmatic Play are leading the trend with their famous Drops & Wins. These tournaments generally require players to reach a certain threshold of wagers in the fastest time or to attain the highest win multiplier. As such, they provide a more challenging gameplay experience, greater engagement and, of course, lots of prizes to be shared among the top-performing players. These prizes can either be cash bonuses or, you guessed it, free spins.
What You Should Know About Real Money Online Slots Wagering Requirements
You can’t go wrong with online slots. These games are not only popular and eligible for lots of bonuses, but they are also the best games to play when completing wagering requirements. Slots generally have a 100% contribution to the rollover requirement, the highest among all games at the casino. So you’ll be able to withdraw your bonus winnings much faster if you stick to these games.
That said, you should check the terms and conditions before claiming your slot bonus. It’s hard to obtain value with high wagering requirements, so low wagering bonuses are always better. One way to tell a good online slot site is whether it offers reasonable bonus wagering requirements. Free spins no wagering offers are also available, although less common.
Software Providers of the Best Online Slots
Real money slots games at online sites are usually borrowed from third-party software providers. Operators pay for the rights to use these games. Or, in the case of white-label sites we mentioned earlier, it comes with the full casino package from the platform provider. Even when you see bespoke slot games, they are usually created by these third-party studios in partnership with the operator. As such, software providers are crucial to online pokie sites because they are the engine driving the site’s game offerings.
Hundreds of game development companies exist, including major names and emerging studios. Each brings their own creative ideas to the reels, enabling the variety of themes, features and gameplay styles we’ve come to love.
We’ve highlighted some of the top providers within the NZ online slots market with examples of their most recognizable games:
NetEnt
NetEnt is arguably the most innovative software provider in the business. They’re behind Gonzo’s Quest, the award-winning slot that introduced the avalanche reels mechanism. They’re also responsible for what many consider the popular slot of all time – Starburst. This Swedish-based developer has also been around for a long time. They were established in 1996. Although they’re nearly three decades old, their games never go out of date.
Playtech
This behemoth game company has their claws deep in almost every online gaming niche, including the slots category, where they’ve released several player favourites. Playtech’s Age of the Gods series is among the top video slots in terms of graphics, game features and payouts. It’s a jackpot series and offers four different jackpot levels. They have a significant collection of branded pokies, and their games usually feature high RTPs. Other popular slots of theirs include Buffalo Blitz, Jackpot Giant, and Green Lantern.
Playtech have been in it since 1999, and before moving to online slots, they were creators of land-based slot machines.
Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play launched in 2015 and quickly rose to the top of the ranks with one quality release after another. Among their major contributions are their range of innovative promotional tools and their mobile-first approach. Pragmatic play slot sites have some of the best mobile bonuses.
Their most popular games include Wolf Gold, Chilli Heat, and The Dog House. The UKGC and the MGA licence them, so their offerings across slot games and bonuses are legit.
Big Time Gaming
This company sprung up in 2011 in Australia and specialises in pokies alone. The Megaways mechanic that’s taken the slot world by storm was invented in BTG’s studio. Big Time Gaming is now a subsidiary of Evolution and continues churning out memorable titles. They’ve got only about 50+ releases meaning they’re more concerned with quality. Among the best BTG slots are Bonanza, White Rabbit, and Monopoly Megaways.
IGT
IGT is another software developer whose name comes up on almost every slot site. Cleopatra, Da Vinci Diamonds, and Wheel of Fortune are just a few of their famous releases. Their games aren’t renowned for the best graphics, but that’s kind of become their signature. Instead, they offer lots of cool bonus features.
Founded in 1990, they started as land-based game manufacturers, so many of their games are popular offline and online.
History of Slots – From the First Slot Machine to the Onset of Online Gaming
The earliest record of gaming machines was in 1887, with the gambling machine invented by Sittman and Pitt, a New York-based company. It was based on poker and used playing cards. Charles Fey’s liberty bell in the 1890s became the first popular slot machine. It was the first machine with an automated cash payment system, and it had 3 reels and symbols such as horseshoes and liberty bells – like the classic slots of today.
Slot machines then transitioned to fruit symbols when cash payouts were banned. Other machines were developed dispensing fruity gum and sweets, instead of cash, to stay on the right side of the law.
In 1964, Bally developed the first modern slot machine called Money Honey. It featured electromechanical processes different from the mechanical creations that had been in circulation up until that time. Fast forward to 1996, the next major milestone came about with the release of “Reel ‘Em” by WMS Industries Inc. – the first video slot with a second screen bonus round.
Around that same time, the internet was slowly booming, and the first online casinos had already sprung up. They were characterised by a simple user interface and only a few basic games. Nowadays, there’s a variety of video pokies with incredible graphics and feature-packed gameplay available for kiwis to play from the comfort of their homes.
Online Slots for Real Money FAQ
Can I play slot sites on mobile?
Yes, the best slots sites have friendly mobile sites where you can play your favourite titles. You can play directly by using your mobile device. Some operators have dedicated mobile apps designed for iOS and Android users.
Which are the best online slots for real money at NZ sites?
There are thousands of online pokies available to play at NZ sites. There are different categories, various themes, and diverse bonus features. Personal preferences play significantly towards selecting the best slot to play.
Are NZ slot sites safe?
New Zealand pokie sites are safe as long as they are licensed by a reputable body like the MGA. This authority ensures that licensees offer player protection through security technology and fair games.
Can I play NZ slots for free?
Yes, you can try your favourite slots in demo play before you play for real money. Several sites will offer this option, and it’s a great way to practise if you’re new to online slots.
Are online slots rigged?
Online slots are free and fair when you play at licensed sites. Licensed operators are required to have their RNG tested by independent auditors like eCOGRA.
What bonuses can I get at slots sites?
Free spins are the typical bonuses offered at these sites. You can also get cash bonuses like a match deposit. Either way, you’ll be able to play more popular slots and explore the site to a greater extent. These offers will also increase your chances to win real cash with online slots.
Which slot variant should I play?
Kiwis who prefer conventional gameplay and straightforward rules will find classic slots to be a perfect fit. On the other hand, if you enjoy thrilling bonus games, lots of free spins, and things exploding on the reels, you should try video slots, 3D titles, or Megaways. To take a chance on a massive payout, go for progressive jackpot slots and hope to get lucky.