Last updated: 13-07-2026
Most Aussie punters chasing Gates of Olympus 1000 never check which RTP version they're actually spinning. Operators can — and do — deploy a 94.50% build of the exact same pokie sitting next to a 96.50% one, and the paytable is the only place that number shows up. I've spent hours pulling paytables across Star's library, and this page is what I found: real RTP figures, real volatility ratings, and where the bonus buy math actually falls apart. No hype, just the numbers you'd want before your first punt.
What pokies are available at Star?
Star runs 500+ titles from Betsoft, Quickspin, iSoftBet, Pragmatic Play and Microgaming, though the confirmed provider list is partial — the full library likely includes studios not disclosed in available sources. I focused on ten titles that cover the spread: from Starburst's 96.09% low-volatility grind to Big Bass Splash 1000's 25,000x ceiling. Pragmatic Play dominates the featured list, which tracks with what's popular across AU-facing casinos generally.
Demo mode is available on nine of the ten pokies I checked — Mega Moolah is the exception, since jackpot titles typically disable demo play on the progressive feature itself. Whether Star requires registration before unlocking demo spins wasn't confirmed in the data I pulled, so check the game page directly before assuming instant access.
| Pokie | Provider | RTP | Volatility | Max win | Bonus buy | Demo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates of Olympus 1000 | Pragmatic Play | 96.50% | V.High | 15,000x | Yes | Yes | Orb multipliers stack up to 1,000x in Free Spins |
| Sweet Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.48% | High | 21,175x | Yes | Yes | 60–80 dry base spins between wins is normal |
| Big Bass Splash 1000 | Pragmatic Play / Reel Kingdom | 96.52% | V.High | 25,000x | Yes | Yes | Natural bonus trigger ~1 in 113 spins |
| Sugar Rush 1000 | Pragmatic Play | 96.53% | V.High | 25,000x | Yes | Yes | Multiplier spots chain up to 1,024x per position |
| Mega Moolah | Microgaming / Games Global | 88.12% base | Low | Progressive (A$1M+ seed) | No | Yes | Jackpot not winnable in demo |
| Book of Ra Deluxe | Novomatic / Greentube | 95.10% | High | 5,000x | No | Yes | Most RTP concentrated in the Free Spins round |
| Starburst | NetEnt | 96.09% | Low | 500x | No | Yes | 6 operator RTP configs exist — verify paytable |
| Frozen Fruit | BGaming | 96.00% | V.High | 6,600x | Yes | Yes | Bonus triggers roughly 1 in 150 spins |
| Piggy Bankers | Pragmatic Play | 96.05% | High | 10,000x | Yes | Yes | 3 RTP configs exist — one as low as 93.98% |
| Coin Strike | Push Gaming | 96.5% | High | 50,000x | No | Yes | Highest ceiling on the list — well above Pragmatic's 1000-series |
Which pokies pay the most — RTP and volatility explained
Ranking by RTP alone is misleading. Sugar Rush 1000 sits at the top with 96.53%, but it's also V.High volatility — meaning that theoretical edge plays out over thousands of spins, not your Saturday night session. A 96.5% pokie at V.High volatility can run 300+ spins without a payout that actually moves your balance. RTP tells you what happens long-term across the whole player base; volatility tells you what happens to your bankroll tonight.
Coin Strike's 50,000x ceiling from Push Gaming is worth flagging on its own — it's double the max win of Pragmatic's entire 1000-series lineup, and it does it without a Bonus Buy option, which keeps the payout tied entirely to natural triggers.
| Rank | Pokie | RTP | Volatility | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sugar Rush 1000 | 96.53% | V.High | Highest theoretical return, long dry stretches expected |
| 2 | Big Bass Splash 1000 | 96.52% | V.High | Strong RTP paired with rare, large payouts |
| 3 | Gates of Olympus 1000 | 96.50% | V.High | Session variance can be extreme — check operator RTP first |
| 4 | Coin Strike | 96.5% | High | Slightly steadier than V.High, still built for big-win hunting |
| 5 | Sweet Bonanza | 96.48% | High | 60–80 base spins between meaningful wins is standard |
| 6 | Starburst | 96.09% | Low | Frequent small wins, ~23% hit rate — good for wagering clearance |
| 7 | Piggy Bankers | 96.05% | High | Instant prizes soften the wait between feature triggers |
| 8 | Frozen Fruit | 96.00% | V.High | Bonus roughly every 150 spins — needs a deep bankroll |
| 9 | Book of Ra Deluxe | 95.10% | High | RTP mostly locked in the Free Spins feature itself |
| 10 | Mega Moolah | 88.12% base | Low | Base RTP is genuinely poor — the jackpot chase is the entire point |
Plotted against volatility, the ranking above looks different once you can see the trade-off visually.
Author's tip from John Hart, Casino Review Analyst: "Before you deposit for a specific pokie, spin it in demo for ten minutes first. If the paytable RTP doesn't match what I've listed here, you're probably on a lower operator config — walk away and try a different title."
High volatility pokies — biggest wins, longest dry spells
Three titles stand out for punters chasing a genuine life-changing hit rather than a steady grind. Coin Strike tops the list at 50,000x — Push Gaming's ceiling sits well above anything in Pragmatic's 1000-series, and with no Bonus Buy option, every win comes from a natural trigger. Sugar Rush 1000 and Big Bass Splash 1000 both cap at 25,000x, but they get there through very different mechanics: chaining multiplier spots on a 7x7 grid versus a four-level Money symbol collection system.
None of these are suited to a small bankroll. V.High volatility means real stretches — sometimes hundreds of spins — with no payout worth mentioning, followed by a spike that can flip the whole session. If your bankroll can't absorb 200+ spins at your chosen stake without a meaningful return, these three aren't the place to start.
| Pokie | Volatility | Max win | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coin Strike | High | 50,000x | Big-win hunters with a large bankroll | No Bonus Buy — wins are entirely natural triggers |
| Sugar Rush 1000 | V.High | 25,000x | Punters who want feature-heavy sessions | Multiplier spots persist and chain during Free Spins |
| Big Bass Splash 1000 | V.High | 25,000x | Fans of progression-style bonus builds | 4-level structure with 5 modifiers before the bonus round |
Demo mode — try these pokies for free
Nine of the ten titles I reviewed offer demo play — Book of Ra Deluxe, Starburst, Gates of Olympus 1000, Sweet Bonanza, Sugar Rush 1000, Big Bass Splash 1000, Frozen Fruit, Piggy Bankers and Coin Strike all let you spin without risking real money. Mega Moolah is the outlier: the progressive jackpot itself can't be won in demo, since that would defeat the point of a shared prize pool funded by real wagers.
Demo balances typically reset and can't be withdrawn, and bonus features usually run identically to real-money play — the difference is purely financial, not mechanical. Whether Star requires an account before unlocking demo spins wasn't confirmed in the source data, so treat that as a "check on the day" item rather than an assumption.
Demo access varies more than the max win figures above might suggest — worth checking before assuming every title on this page is free to try.
| Pokie | Demo | Registration needed? | Differs from real play? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates of Olympus 1000 | Yes | Unconfirmed | No | Mechanics identical, balance is play money |
| Starburst | Yes | Unconfirmed | No | Good for testing hit-rate feel before depositing |
| Mega Moolah | Partial | Unconfirmed | Yes | Jackpot wheel disabled in demo mode |
Author's tip from John Hart, Casino Review Analyst: "Bonus Buy isn't a shortcut — it's a straight cost. On a 1,000x buy-in like Sugar Rush 1000's, you're paying 1,000 base bets up front for one guaranteed bonus round. Run the maths on your bankroll before you tap it, not after."
Providers behind these pokies — Pragmatic Play, Push Gaming and others
Pragmatic Play accounts for six of the ten titles here, which tracks with how dominant the studio has become across offshore AU-facing casinos generally. Push Gaming (Coin Strike) is worth watching separately — its max win ceilings consistently run higher than Pragmatic's 1000-series, without needing a Bonus Buy to get there. NetEnt's Starburst and Novomatic's Book of Ra Deluxe are older titles included for a different reason: low-to-medium volatility and steady hit rates, useful if you're clearing wagering rather than chasing a ceiling.
Microgaming (via Games Global) sits alone in the jackpot category with Mega Moolah — its base RTP is genuinely below the rest of the list, and that's the trade-off for jackpot exposure, not an error in the data.
Provider count alone doesn't tell you which titles actually pay best — the RTP comparison below fills in that gap.
Author's tip from John Hart, Casino Review Analyst: "If you're new to scatter-pays pokies coming from classic 5x3 payline machines, start on Starburst or Book of Ra Deluxe. Lower volatility means you'll actually see the mechanic play out a few times per session instead of waiting on a single high-variance spin."
Star operates under a Curaçao eGaming licence, and Australian players access the platform via this offshore route — the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 targets domestic operators rather than individual punters, though ACMA can still direct ISPs to block unlicensed sites. Every title on this page runs on certified RNG software. None of this changes the maths above: check the paytable, know your volatility, and set a session limit before you start. If gambling stops being fun, Gambling Help Online (1800 858 858) is free and confidential.
Want the full breakdown on any of these titles? Check dedicated pages for Gates of Olympus 1000, Sugar Rush 1000, Big Bass Splash 1000, Sweet Bonanza, Mega Moolah, Starburst, Book of Ra, and Frozen Fruit. Unfamiliar with terms like "RTP" or "volatility"? Check the glossary.
Want to see how these welcome offers and cashback terms stack up before you deposit? Head to the Star homepage for the full picture, or jump straight to login if you've already got an account running.
