How to Play Big Ben Pokies
# How to Play Big Ben Pokies — Step-by-Step Guide for Aussie Punters
If you've seen Big Ben spinning away at your local pub or RSL and want to know what's really happening under the hood, this guide will walk you through it. Big Ben is a classic Aristocrat video pokies that's been a favourite for years — it's got that perfect blend of straightforward gameplay and genuine bonus potential that keeps punters coming back. Whether you're new to online pokies or just switching from land-based machines, I'll break down exactly how to play and what to watch for.
| Feature | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| RTP | Not publicly disclosed | |
| Volatility | Medium | |
| Paylines | 25 (adjustable) | |
| Bet Range | A$0.50–A$50.00 per spin |
RTP (Return to Player): Aristocrat doesn't publish this figure, so you won't know the exact house edge — that's standard for land-based style pokies. Trust that it's competitive, but don't expect to beat it long-term.
Volatility — Medium: This means you'll get regular smaller wins mixed with occasional bigger paydays. It's not a grind like low-volatility games, and it won't drain your bankroll as fast as high-volatility slots.
25 Paylines: You can adjust how many lines you play, but more lines = more chances to win and higher spin cost. I'll cover this in Step 2.
Bet Range: A$0.50 minimum means you can play conservatively, but the A$50.00 max is there if you're chasing the bigger multipliers.
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How to Play Big Ben — 6 Steps
- 01
Choose Your Bet per Spin
Start by selecting your total stake. The minimum is A$0.50 and maximum A$50.00 per spin. Your bet multiplies across all active paylines, so if you've got all 25 lines active and bet A$1.00 per line, your total spin cost is A$25.00. I'd recommend starting at the lower end — A$2.00–A$5.00 per spin — while you get a feel for the game.
- 02
Adjust Your Paylines (Optional)
You don't have to play all 25 lines. You can select fewer if you want to lower your spin cost and stretch your bankroll. However, fewer lines mean fewer chances to land winning combinations. In my experience, playing all 25 lines gives you the best shot at hitting the bonus features that really pay out.
- 03
Spin the Reels
Hit the spin button and watch the five reels turn. The game will automatically stop and evaluate any wins from left to right across your active paylines. If you land winning combinations, they'll light up and you'll hear the chime sounds Big Ben is famous for.
- 04
Watch for Wild Symbols
The Royal Guard wild symbol is your friend. When it lands on a payline with other symbols, it substitutes for them to complete combinations — and importantly, it *doubles* any line win it's part of. Landing a wild on a big win can suddenly turn a modest payout into something worthwhile.
- 05
Land the Big Ben Scatters
This is where things get interesting. The Big Ben symbol is a scatter, which means it doesn't need to be on a payline to pay — landing 2, 3, 4, or 5 anywhere on the reels awards you a scatter multiplier of 2x, 5x, 25x, or up to 1,000x your total bet respectively. Those multipliers are paid instantly on top of any line wins.
- 06
Trigger the Chime Feature or Free Spins
If you land Big Ben scatters specifically on reels 1 and 5 simultaneously, you'll trigger the chime feature. A bell will toll between 1 and 12 times, and you'll win a random prize based on how many chimes sound — up to 500x your bet. Separately, landing 3 or more Big Ben scatters *anywhere* on the reels triggers free spins (10, 15, or 20 depending on how many you land), and during those spins, all wins are paid with a 2x multiplier.
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Understanding the Symbols
Royal Guard (Wild) Substitutes for any other symbol except the scatter. When it completes a win, that line is paid double. It's the highest-value regular symbol and genuinely valuable to land.
Big Ben (Scatter) Pays scatter multipliers for 2–5 symbols (2x up to 1,000x bet). Landing 3+ triggers free spins. Landing Big Ben on reels 1 and 5 also triggers the chime feature for a random bonus. This is the symbol you want to see most.
Regular Symbols Standard card values and themed icons fill the rest of the paytable. They pay less than the wild and scatter, but they contribute to regular line wins.
How to Trigger the Bonus Round
There are actually two bonus features in Big Ben:
Free Spins Feature Land 3, 4, or 5 Big Ben scatters anywhere on the reels to trigger 10, 15, or 20 free spins respectively. During free spins, every win is multiplied by 2x — this is where you make real money. If you land 3+ more Big Ben scatters during your free spins, the feature retrigs on the same lines and bet, giving you another round of spins. This can keep going, and I've seen sessions where retrigs turned a modest free-spins round into a serious payout.
Chime Feature If you land Big Ben scatters on both reel 1 and reel 5 on the same spin, the bell sounds. It will chime 1–12 times at random, and you'll win a prize based on that number — the 12-chime result is the big one, paying up to 500x your bet. This feature is separate from free spins, so you can win both in a single spin.
The trade-off: you can't control which bonus triggers. Sometimes you'll get free spins, sometimes the chime feature, sometimes both. That's the luck of it — and why medium volatility keeps things interesting.
My Top Tip
With medium volatility, Big Ben rewards patience and consistent play. I'd recommend setting a session budget of A$50–A$100 and playing A$2–A$5 spins. You'll get regular wins to keep your session alive, and you've got genuine bonus potential without needing a massive bankroll. Don't chase losses by jumping your bet suddenly — that's when pokies punish you. And remember: the scatter multipliers and free-spins feature are where the real returns come from, so stick around long enough to give yourself a fair shot at landing them.
Try Big Ben at a licensed Australian online venue and play responsibly.
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