Fifty Lions has been a pub staple since 2007 and it’s still pulling punters for good reason. The online RTP sits at 96.79% — nearly 10 points higher than what most Aussie clubs are configured to pay out. If you’re a casual player who enjoys familiar gameplay without chasing massive jackpots, this one’s built for you.
Game Overview
The African savannah theme is well worn territory for Aristocrat, but 50 Lions pulls it off cleanly. You get golden sunsets, acacia trees, and a reel set packed with lions, elephants, rhinos, and leopards. It’s not flashy — no cinematic intro, no 3D animations — just a solid, clean layout that loads fast and feels exactly like the machine you’ve played at the local RSL. That familiarity is half the appeal.
The game runs on a 5x3 reel grid with 50 fixed paylines. You can’t turn lines off, which keeps the maths simple. Bets scale across a coin range rather than adjusting lines, so what you’re controlling is the coin value. At 50 lines active on every spin, wins come around regularly enough that your credit meter doesn’t nosedive in the first five minutes.
The symbols you’re watching are the big cats — the lion is your top payer and you want to see five of those across a payline. The floral diamond symbol doubles as the Wild and stacks on reels 2, 3, and 4, which is where most of the base game action comes from. When a full stack of wilds lands on reel 3, you feel it.
The base game clips along at a steady pace. Medium-low volatility means you’re not waiting 200 spins between anything interesting. Small wins land frequently, you get the occasional medium hit off a stacked wild, and the bonus triggers often enough to keep sessions entertaining. It’s not going to blow your bankroll in ten spins, and it’s not going to bore you either.
Paytable & Symbols
| Symbol | 3 of a Kind | 4 of a Kind | 5 of a Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion | 5x | 25x | 100x |
| Elephant | 3x | 15x | 60x |
| Rhino | 2x | 10x | 40x |
| Leopard | 2x | 8x | 30x |
| Buffalo | 1x | 5x | 20x |
| Flamingo | 0.5x | 3x | 10x |
The Wild is the stacked floral diamond symbol — it substitutes for all symbols except the scatter and appears stacked on reels 2, 3, and 4 in both the base game and free spins. The Scatter is the golden lion scatter and landing three or more anywhere on the reels triggers the free spins bonus round.
Bonus Round — Full Breakdown
You trigger the free spins by landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols anywhere on the reels. Three scatters gets you 10 free spins, four scatters pays 15 free spins, and five scatters awards 20 free spins. It’s not the stingiest trigger in the game library — at medium-low volatility, most players see the bonus every 100–150 spins on average, which means it shows up a couple of times per decent session.
During the free spins, the stacked wild mechanic stays active on reels 2, 3, and 4. This is where 50 Lions earns its reputation. A full stack of wilds on reel 3 combined with partial stacks on 2 and 4 can light up the whole board across multiple paylines simultaneously. A typical bonus might return 15–40x your total bet — solid but not spectacular. A good bonus, where the wilds align two or three times across the ten spins, can push 100–200x your bet. Rare, but it happens.
The bonus can retrigger — land another 3+ scatters during free spins and you add more spins to your count. Retriggering doesn’t happen constantly, but it’s common enough that you’ll experience it across a few hours of play. When it does chain together, that’s when you see the session-defining wins.
RTP & Volatility — What You Actually Get
A 96.79% RTP means the game is mathematically designed to return $96.79 for every $100 wagered over a very long run of spins. In a single session that number means very little — variance moves results all over the place. But it does tell you this: 50 Lions online is a fair game configured generously compared to most alternatives. Over time, the house edge is 3.21 cents per dollar, which is competitive.
Here’s the number that actually matters for Aussie players. Most clubs and pubs configure Aristocrat machines at around 87.5% RTP. On a two-hour session at $1.50 a spin, doing roughly 400 spins, you’re cycling through $600 in total bets. At 87.5%, the expected return is $525 — a theoretical loss of $75. At 96.79% online, that same $600 cycled returns $580.74 in theory — a loss of just $19.26. That’s a $55 difference in your pocket from the same game, same session length. Online wins this comparison easily.
On volatility — medium-low means 50 Lions plays smoothly without brutal dry spells. You’re not going to be staring at a screen waiting for something to happen. Small wins hit regularly off paylines. The stacked wilds in the base game create spikes. Bankroll requirement is modest — 150–200x your spin bet should comfortably cover a session. A $50 bankroll at $0.25 per spin is a reasonable starting point for extended play.
Where to Play 50 Lions Online
We tested 50 Lions across six AU-licensed online casinos that carry Aristocrat’s game library. All six run the game at the certified 96.79% RTP.
| Casino | Welcome Bonus | Wagering | Demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkyCrown | $500 + 50 spins | 35x | ✓ |
| ThePokies | $5,000 + 50 spins | 45x | ✓ |
| Joe Fortune | 200% up to $1,000 | 40x | ✓ |
| Ricky Casino | $7,500 + 550 spins | 35x | ✓ |
| King Billy | $2,500 + 250 spins | 40x | ✓ |
| Syndicate | $750 + 200 spins | 40x | ✓ |
For a full breakdown of each casino — bonus maths, payment methods, and step-by-step guides — see our individual casino reviews.
[Play Now at SkyCrown →]
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Online RTP of 96.79% is nearly 10 points above what your local club is paying — the same game, significantly better returns
- Stacked wilds on reels 2, 3, and 4 create frequent mid-session spikes without needing to hit the bonus
- Free spins trigger at a solid rate for medium-low volatility — roughly every 100–150 spins, which means multiple bonuses per session
- Familiar layout and fast gameplay — no bloated animations or forced wait times between spins
Cons:
- Max win of 600x is modest — jackpot hunters and high-variance thrill-seekers will find this ceiling frustrating
- No progressive jackpot, which rules it out for players chasing a life-changing hit
- At the club, this game is likely configured at 87.5% RTP — if you’re playing it on a pub machine, you’re giving back significantly more per hour than the online version
How 50 Lions Compares to Similar Pokies
If you like 50 Lions, the closest comparison is Queen of the Nile from Aristocrat — same developer, same era, similar medium-low volatility, and a comparable Egyptian theme. Queen of the Nile runs 20 paylines versus 50 Lions’ 50, so wins cluster differently, but both reward patient players. Buffalo (also Aristocrat, slightly higher volatility) is worth a look if you want the African theme with bigger swing potential and a higher ceiling. More Chilli from the same stable is another comparable — 25 lines, similar bonus structure — but the free spins mechanic in 50 Lions is more straightforward and arguably more consistent. Where 50 Lions wins is session smoothness — more lines means more frequent base-game wins, which keeps your credit meter breathing longer between bonuses.
Verdict
50 Lions is a reliable, no-drama pokie that suits casual players who want a comfortable session without blowing through a bankroll in twenty minutes. Play it online for the 96.79% RTP — not at the pub where you’re likely leaving an extra 9.3% on the table every session. If you’re chasing a big jackpot or want high-volatility swings, skip this and go look at Buffalo Grand or Dragon Link instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is 50 Lions a fair game? A: Yes. Online, 50 Lions runs at a certified 96.79% RTP — one of the better-configured Aristocrat titles available. It’s an independently tested game from a reputable developer. No fairness concerns.
Q: What is the RTP of 50 Lions at Australian online casinos? A: The online RTP is 96.79%. This applies across the recommended casinos listed on this page. It’s significantly higher than the land-based club configuration.
Q: How does 50 Lions compare to the pub/club version? A: The gameplay is identical, but the RTP isn’t. Most Australian clubs configure the machine at around 87.5%. Online at 96.79%, you’re getting back roughly $55 more per $600 cycled in a typical two-hour session. Online is the smarter play.
Q: How do I trigger the bonus round in 50 Lions? A: Land 3 or more golden lion scatter symbols anywhere across the five reels. Three scatters = 10 free spins, four = 15 free spins, five = 20 free spins. The bonus can retrigger if scatters land again during the free spins.
Q: What is the max win in 50 Lions? A: The maximum win is 600x your total bet. At a $1.50 spin, that’s $900. It’s not a game with a monster ceiling, but it’s achievable within realistic session play.
Q: Can I play 50 Lions on my phone? A: Yes. All six casinos in our comparison run 50 Lions on mobile browser with no app download required. SkyCrown and Ricky Casino both have particularly clean mobile experiences — the 5x3 grid scales well on smaller screens without compressing the reels.
Q: Which casino has the best bonus for 50 Lions? A: For low wagering, Ricky Casino ($7,500 + 550 spins at 35x) and SkyCrown ($500 + 50 spins at 35x) are the strongest options. If raw bonus size matters, ThePokies offers $5,000 but carries 45x wagering — worth doing the maths before committing. See our full casino comparisons for the bonus maths on each.
Q: Is 50 Lions better online or at the club? A: Online, every time. Same game, same mechanics, nearly 10% better RTP. Unless you specifically want the physical machine experience, there’s no financial argument for playing 50 Lions at a club over an online casino.