Online pokies at VegasNow, grouped by how they play

Volatility describes the shape of a session rather than its average result. On a lower-volatility pokie, small wins arrive often and the balance moves gently. On a very high-volatility pokie, most spins return nothing, a few return a little, and once in a long while one returns a lot. Both can carry similar RTPs. What changes is how bumpy the ride is.

Here is a worked comparison. Take a A$100 budget at A$1 a spin. On Wild Cash x9990, with a published hit rate of 11.55%, you would expect roughly 11 or 12 winning spins in every hundred. Many of those will be small, so a long losing run is entirely normal. On a medium-high game such as Elvis Frog in Vegas, wins land differently, but the top prize is capped lower at 2,500×. Neither game is "due" a win at any point; every spin stands on its own, unaffected by the one before.

Return to player is the long-run average a game is designed to pay back. Gates of Olympus at 96.50% is expected to return A$96.50 per A$100 staked over a very large number of spins, which is a different thing from what one evening will return. Use RTP to compare games, and use your budget and stake to decide how long you want to play.

The phrase "free spins" turns up in two unrelated places, and mixing them up is a common source of confusion. One kind is a feature inside a game: Gates of Olympus hands out 15 when four or more scatters land, and Chilli Heat opens its own round from three scatters. The other kind is an award on your VegasNow account, such as the 200 spins attached to the first welcome deposit.

The in-game kind follows the provider's rules. It costs nothing beyond the paid spin that set it off, so it adds nothing to a wagering counter, and its winnings are credited under the game's own rules. The account kind follows our bonus terms: that stage's deposit has to be wagered once before the spins appear, their winnings carry 40× wagering, and welcome spin winnings stop at A$300.

Knowing which kind you have also points your question to the right place. A feature that seemed to pay the wrong amount is a game matter, so note the title, the time and the round. Missing welcome spins are an account matter, so have the offer name and deposit reference ready when you contact support.

Reading a feature description is easier with an example in front of you. Here is how two of the mechanics above play out, using the rules the providers publish.

A tumbling sequence on Gates of Olympus. You spin, and nine matching symbols land somewhere on the six reels. Because the game pays for eight or more matches anywhere, that is a win. The winning symbols are removed, new symbols fall into the gaps, and if those make another qualifying group, you are paid again. If multiplier symbols land during the sequence, their values are added together and applied to the total win once the tumbling stops. Land four or more scatters and the round turns into 15 free spins.

A money-symbol round on Chilli Heat. The base game runs on five reels and three rows. When six or more money symbols land, you receive three respins. Every new money symbol that lands resets the counter to three. The round ends when you run out of respins without landing a new one, and the values on the board are added up. Separately, three scatters start the free-spin feature.

Neither feature changes the maths of the game; it is simply how the long-run return is delivered. It is worth opening the rules panel of any new game to see how its feature triggers before staking real money.

None of these breaks a game, but each can cost a bonus, hold up a withdrawal or take money you meant to keep.

• Depositing A$20 by card. A$20 is the offer minimum, yet card and MiFinity deposits start at A$30 in the Australian cashier, and Cashtocode at A$25.
• Leaving out the code. The first stage needs none; the second, third and fourth each want their own code typed in at deposit.
• Raising the stake mid-bonus. A quiet run tempts a bigger bet, but anything above A$8 a spin breaches the bonus terms.
• Assuming every reel game counts in full. The 100% rate has exceptions, so check the current list before choosing a title to clear wagering.
• Asking for a payout the day you deposit. Skip the 3× deposit turnover and the request can be declined or carry a processing fee.
• Typing in a no-deposit code found on a forum. VegasNow has no no-deposit offer, so those codes did not come from us.