Australian Slots = Pokies

The word "pokie" is Australian slang for slot machine. Pokies are wildly popular in Australia and they can be found in hundreds of pubs, clubs and bars as well as in land-based casinos across the country. Pokies began their journey modestly - with 3 reels and one line - but you can't halt progress and today's most popular pokies have 5 reels, many lines, and offer bonus games, as well.

When did Slots Become Pokies?

While there is no documented date of when the term was first used, "pokie" has become the standard term for video slots in Australia. Print ads and commercials for casinos and pubs (where pokies can be found) always refer to the slots as "pokies." One likely theory for the name's origin is the fact that the first video slot machines to make an appearance in bars and pubs were video poker machines. From poker you get pokie and from that point on all video slots were called pokies. Makes sense to me.

Legends and Myths about Pokies

Like slots all over the world and all over cyberspace, there are plenty of myths and legends about pokies. People still believe that machines can be "hot" and "cold," i.e., if they win, they're bound to win again, and if they don't win you should try another machine. On the other hand, plenty of people believe that if a pokie is cold for a while then it's "due" to warm up soon. All this is sheer rubbish. All pokies are run by a random number generator, which means that every spin is random and in no way connected to previous or forthcoming spins. Pokies are the ultimate game of chance; you put your money in, cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Major Australian Pokies

Every country has its leading slot makers and Australia is no different. In Australia there are three major players in the slot machine/pokie business - Aristocrat, IGT, and Konami. Aristocrat is the biggest and the most well known, but the other two companies are up and comers with many frequently played games out there in pubs and casinos. No matter who the manufacturer, though, Australians are crazy about pokies and they look for them on land and online. Nothing will deter a pokie fan from spinning those reels.