Wolf Gold
Wolf Gold tops the list on RTP and max win, and it is the easiest of the five to justify playing at a lower stake.
- RTP
- 96.01%
- Volatility
- Medium
- Max win
- 5,000x
- Lines
- 25
- Wildlife
- Jackpot
- Pragmatic Play
Pokie guide · Australia
5 Dragons slot machine: where it works and where it does not
5 Dragons is the kind of pokie that gets recommended to people who want a free game and a simple layout. This page goes through where that works, where it does not, and what a medium-volatility profile actually means for your money.
- 5pokies compared
- 96.01%best published return
- A$5max bet on a bonus
Ranked on published figures, not on banners
Below is the shortlist, ranked on published RTP, volatility and max win, with 5 Dragons sitting fourth.
Checked on 16 October 2026
Queen of the Nile
Queen of the Nile has a similar RTP but a much smaller max win, so it suits short, flat-stake sessions rather than bonus chasing.
- RTP
- 95.98%
- Volatility
- Medium
- Max win
- 800x
- Lines
- 20
- Egyptian
- Aristocrat
Pompeii
Pompeii sits between the two on RTP and offers 243 lines, which spreads your stake across more combinations.
- RTP
- 95.96%
- Volatility
- Medium
- Max win
- 1,500x
- Lines
- 243
- History
- Aristocrat
5 Dragons
5 Dragons is fourth: 95.17% RTP, medium volatility and a 1,000x max win, which is a modest ceiling for a pokie people chase.
- RTP
- 95.17%
- Volatility
- Medium
- Max win
- 1,000x
- Lines
- 243
- Asian
- Aristocrat
Cash Connection Charming Lady
Cash Connection Charming Lady is last on RTP and its appeal rests entirely on the jackpot, which is not a plan.
- RTP
- 95.09%
- Volatility
- Medium
- Max win
- Jackpot
- Lines
- 10
- Glamour
- Jackpot
- Novomatic
All of them in one table
Sort by whichever figure decides it for you.
| 1Wolf Gold | 96.01% | Medium | 5,000x | Pragmatic Play |
| 2Queen of the Nile | 95.98% | Medium | 800x | Aristocrat |
| 3Pompeii | 95.96% | Medium | 1,500x | Aristocrat |
| 45 Dragons | 95.17% | Medium | 1,000x | Aristocrat |
| 5Cash Connection Charming Lady | 95.09% | Medium | Jackpot | Novomatic |
Select a column heading to sort.
What the reels actually do
5 Dragons is a five-reel, three-row pokie with twenty-five fixed lines. The theme is Chinese dragons, gold, lanterns and coins, and the free spins round is the part most people are chasing. It is not a game with a big cluster of features. You get line wins, you get wilds, and you get a scatter-triggered free games round. That is it.
The RTP on the version we list is 95.17%, which is lower than the other four pokies on our shortlist. RTP is a long-run average across millions of spins, not a promise about a session. A medium-volatility game with a lower RTP will still produce long dry spells, and the free spins round does not arrive on a schedule.
Where the game works
It works if you want a pokie that is not going to blow up your balance in five spins. Medium volatility means the swings are less violent than a high-volatility game, so your credits last longer on average. The twenty-five lines are easy to follow, and the free games round is uncomplicated once it lands.
It also works if you are playing free pokies or the 5 Dragons Gold slot online free, because there is no cash on the line and no withdrawal to think about. In demo mode you can see how often the scatters appear without spending anything.
Where the game does not work
It does not work if you are chasing a big multiplier. The max win here is listed at 1,000x, which is far below the 5,000x on Wolf Gold at the top of our shortlist. If the point of your session is a shot at a large payout, 5 Dragons is the wrong tool and no amount of patience changes that.
It also does not work if you treat a lower RTP as a small difference. 95.17% against 96.01% on Wolf Gold is not a rounding error over a long period of play. And it does not work if you are trying to meet a bonus playthrough: every spin on a lower-RTP game puts more of your balance through the house edge before you can withdraw.
What people want to know first
Is 5 Dragons a high-volatility pokie?
No. The version listed here is medium volatility, not high. That means the wins and losses are less extreme than a game designed around rare big payouts.
Can I play 5 Dragons free without downloading anything?
Yes, free browser versions exist and the search phrase 5 Dragons slot machine free download often leads to them. Free play uses virtual credits and has no cash value, so there is no withdrawal at the end.
What is the RTP of 5 Dragons?
The version on our shortlist is listed at 95.17%. That is a long-run average across a very large number of spins, not a figure you can expect to see in one session.
Does the free spins round make 5 Dragons worth playing?
The free games round is the main feature and it can produce a run, but the trigger is random and it does not correct a lower RTP. A session without the bonus is the normal case, not the unlucky one.