There is a plethora of online pokies and more keep coming. A question that new players at Australian online casinos often ask is how does one decide which is the right pokie to play. The answer depends on what you want and this article provides some pointers on finding online pokies suited to your requirement.

The most important characteristic should be the variance or volatility of the online pokie. If you are playing for big payouts and do not mind small losses in the attempt then you should go for high variance pokies. On the other hand if you are playing to conserve your bankroll and need frequent, albeit small, payouts then low variance online pokies are for you. There is no single measure for variance and you have to learn to read the pokies. Progressive jackpot pokies, especially those that deliver six-figure plus payouts, will have high variance. You will have to keep chipping away in order to try for that jackpot payout. Another indicator of variance can be obtained from the payout table. High variance pokies will have one symbol that awards a large payout, say 10,000 coins, with the other symbols paying small amounts. Low variance pokies will have a narrow range of payouts with no very large or very small numbers.

Bonus features are another differentiating factor in online pokies. Some players prefer the no frill online pokies in which they can carry out spin after spin without leaving the main game. They find complex bonus features irksome. Most of the older pokies released over ten years ago would fall in this category, but there are some contemporary releases that have very simple free games features only. There are plenty of online pokies with intricate bonus features as well. Some of these features have complex triggering mechanisms. Then you have multi-level bonus features where you go through a number of levels before returning to the main game. Bonus trails that have different features in sequence are also liked by some online casino players.

The theme of the video pokie is a much simpler choice to make. There are an amazing number of themes and you will surely find some to your liking. If you are interested in history then you can travel to ancient civilizations through online pokies. If you are looking for adventure then there are pirate themed online pokies, some with exciting animations. If you are a foodie you can sample cuisine from every continent.