NZ’s top paying online casino in 2024

Video poker – the highest paying casino game

Video poker is undoubtedly one of the highest payout casino games you can find. While the idea of high RTP and low house edge are never absolute, and depend on various factors, some games are structured in such a way as to yield better odds, and this is one of the top contenders.

You may find specific variants of other games with a lower house edge but as a general rule video poker will offer the best RTP range you can find. Offering an RNG version of the live dealer game, video poker differs from slots in that it allows you to make decisions that affect the outcome of each hand, offering the potential of higher returns based on your skill.

Achieving the maximum RTP percentage depends on the choices you make, so you’ll need to understand and master poker game strategies to fulfil the highest payout potential. Below, you’ll find our experts’ list of the best payout casino poker games.

Other table & card games

Nowadays it’s not too difficult to calculate the best online casino payouts, because the reputable sites you’ll find recommended here all include the payout percentages for their games. 

Table games like real money blackjack, baccarat and roulette are known to have the highest percentage payout, which is why you can’t always use the bonus money to play them. There is very minimal difference between the RNG and the live dealer casino version, as the house edge primarily derives from the game rules, rather than the format. This means that the RTPs in both cases are similar. 

Live dealer poker is an exception. Because it’s usually played against other players, rather than the house, the concept of RTP doesn’t quite apply in the same way. RNG video poker version offers the best deal overall, with some variants having an RTP of more than 99%. That said, even if you’re playing against the dealer you’re still getting a relatively higher RTP average when compared to online pokies.

Online pokies & RTP

The top paying online casino pokies are the ones with the highest RTPs. When factoring in the RTP, it’s important to remember that this does not refer to a game’s potential for a single large payout, but to the game’s expected payout rate over time. 

Thus, an RTP of 97% means that, across a long period of time, a pokie is expected to return NZ$97 for every NZ$100 wagered. Some casino software providers, like Playtech and Microgaming, are known for consistently creating pokies with very high RTPs ranging from 97.5% to 99.3%,  but it was NetEnt that kicked off the trend with Blood Suckers at 98%. 

Let’s take a look at the best payout online slots.

What are casino payouts – how RTP works

Why is the RTP so important when looking for the best online casinos that payout? RTP refers to the percentage of all the wagered money that an online pokie or casino game will return to players over time. Think of it as the opposite of the house edge – the lower the house edge, the higher the RTP. 

As an example, let’s take a video poker game with an RTP of 98%. For every NZ$100 wagered, the game will pay back NZ$98 on average.

There’s a catch. This doesn’t mean that with every NZ$100 you play on that game you’re guaranteed to win NZ$98. The percentages only work in the long-term, so that if you take an average across many hours of play that would be the approximate result. However, the truth remains that a higher RTP increases your odds of winning.

In the above example, the house edge would be 2% (100%-98%). The lower the house edge, the better, which is why players love blackjack variants with a 0.5% edge.

• 1

  Pick your top paying online casino NZ from our experts’ recommendations

  This is the fastest and easiest way as each site has already been thoroughly tested by us to ensure that it really pays out as it promises.

• 2

  Pick a deposit method that also allows you to withdraw

  Casinos prefer if you stick to the same method for your deposits and cash outs, mostly for legal reasons. If your deposit is made by, say, a prepaid voucher, this may lengthen the process for your cashout.

• 3

  Check the withdrawal limits thoroughly

  Sites with very low limits will make it more difficult for you to access any large winnings in a short span of time.

• 4

  Strategise between low and high variance games

  Are you looking for an occasional big windfall? If you like the big payout thrills look for high volatility titles. For smaller wins that are doled out more often, low variance is what you’re after.

• 5

  Pick sites with a good selection of progressive jackpots

  These are the games with the largest possible payouts, but don’t forget to check the casino’s track record when it pays out jackpot wins as some operators will not pay out the win in a lump sum.