Pokies calculator: expected cost per hour and per session

Pokies cost calculator

Bet per hour: -
Expected cost per hour: -
Expected cost per session: -
Budget lasts, on average: -

Key facts

Expected cost per hour = bet per spin x spins per hour x (1 - RTP).
At $1 a spin, 600 spins an hour and 92% RTP you put $600 through the machine and lose about $48 an hour on average.
RTP is an average over a very large number of spins. One session can finish far above or below it.
Pub and club pokies must return at least 85% over time in NSW and Victoria; Queensland machines return between 85% and 92% over their lifetime.
No setting makes the expected cost zero. The house edge is built into every spin.

How to use the pokies calculator

The calculator needs five numbers, and you already know four of them. Enter your usual bet per spin, how many spins you play in an hour, the game's RTP, how long you plan to play and the money you have set aside. The results update as you type.

Bet per spin is the total bet on the button you press, not the bet per line.
Spins per hour depends on your speed. One spin every 6 seconds is 600 an hour; autoplay on a fast game can be well above that.
RTP is printed in the game info of most online pokies. For a pub or club machine you rarely know the exact figure, so try 85% and 92% to see the range.

The formula, worked through

The expected cost of a pokies session is your turnover multiplied by the house edge. Turnover is everything you bet, including winnings you put back in. The house edge is 100% minus the RTP. For a single bet rather than a session, the expected value calculator does the same sum.

At 600 spins an hour, this is what an hour costs on average:

Bet per spin	Bet per hour	At 85% RTP	At 92% RTP	At 96% RTP
$0.50	$300	$45	$24	$12
$1	$600	$90	$48	$24
$2	$1,200	$180	$96	$48
$5	$3,000	$450	$240	$120

Two things stand out. Doubling the bet doubles the cost, and the gap between a low and a high RTP game is bigger than most players expect: at $2 a spin, the 85% game costs $132 an hour more than the 96% game. The same rule is why doubling after a loss does not change the average: the Martingale calculator shows the bust risk and the real cost.

Why your session will not match the average

RTP describes the game over a very large number of spins, not your night out. A single session is a small sample, so the result swings around the average, sometimes a long way. A big feature win can put you well ahead for an hour; a cold run can empty a budget in minutes.

How far a session swings depends on the game's volatility. Low volatility pokies pay small wins often, so sessions sit closer to the average. High volatility pokies hold back for big but rare wins, so most sessions lose more than the average and a few win big. Our guide to pokies volatility explains how to spot the difference, and pokies hit frequency shows how often a game wins anything and the odds of a dry spell.

Pundit tip: the longer you play, the closer your total result gets to the expected cost. Time is the house's friend, not yours.

Pub pokies and online pokies: what the numbers mean

Pub and club pokies in Australia have a legal minimum return, set by each state. NSW regulation requires machines to pay out at least 85% of the money played, Victoria's Gambling Regulation Act sets 85% as the minimum, and Queensland machines must return between 85% and 92% over their lifetime. These are long-run figures measured over the life of the machine or a venue's year, not per session.

Online pokies are different: most game makers publish an RTP for each title, often between the high 80s and the high 90s, and some games come in several versions with different RTPs. Always read the figure inside the game you are actually playing. Our guide on how pokies work covers random number generators, RTP and why every spin is independent.

Spin speed matters as much as RTP

The number of spins you play has the same effect on your cost as the size of your bet. Playing twice as fast doubles your turnover, so it doubles the expected cost, even at the same RTP. Turbo modes, quick-spin buttons and autoplay all push the number up.

If you want a session to last longer on the same budget, you have three levers: a smaller bet, a slower pace or a higher RTP game. The calculator shows how much each one buys you.

Use the result to set a limit before you play

The budget line shows how long your money lasts on average. Treat it as the best case for planning, not a guarantee: a bad run can end the session much sooner. Decide on a time limit and a money limit before the first spin and stop when you reach either one.

If the numbers worry you, that is worth listening to. Free, confidential help is available 24/7 on 1800 858 858, and our gambling help guide lists the services in each state.

Frequently asked questions

How much will I lose on pokies per hour?

On average you lose your hourly turnover multiplied by the house edge. At $1 a spin and 600 spins an hour you bet $600; at 90% RTP the house edge is 10%, so the average loss is $60 an hour. Your real result in any one hour can be much better or much worse.

What does 92% RTP mean?

It means the game is designed to pay back $92 for every $100 bet, measured over a very large number of spins. The missing $8 is the house edge. It does not mean you get 92% of your money back in a session.

Is a higher RTP always better?

Yes, for the same bet and speed a higher RTP lowers your expected cost. Going from 90% to 96% RTP cuts the average hourly cost by 60%. Volatility, bet size and spin speed still matter, so check all of them.

Can this calculator tell me when a pokie will pay?

No. Every spin is random and independent of the last one, so no calculator can predict a win. This tool shows the average cost of playing, which is the one number the maths does let you predict.

Does the calculator work for online pokies?

Yes. Online pokies usually show their RTP in the game info or help screen. Enter that figure, your bet and how fast you play. Autoplay and turbo modes raise the number of spins per hour, which raises the cost.