Last updated: May 2026. Walkthrough written for first-time players opening The Greatest Catch without any prior Evoplay experience.
If this is the first Evoplay pokie you've loaded, the screen looks busier than the math underneath actually is. There's a fishing trawler creaking in the background, the captain idling on his deck, lighthouse beams sweeping across the reels, and a paytable that uses pictures of fish where most games use bar symbols. Don't worry — the actual gameplay loop is one of the cleanest on the AU market, and you can be spinning confidently within five minutes. This walkthrough takes you from "what's that whale shark" to "running auto-spin on a A$1 bet" without any guesswork.
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Step 1 — Pick a casino
You need an account at a licensed casino that runs The Greatest Catch. We use four:
- Vegasnova — fastest PayID withdrawals.
- Joe Fortune — biggest welcome offer percentage.
- GreatSlots — lowest minimum deposit.
- CasinoRocket — highest stake caps for VIP play.
Any of the four works. If you're brand new, GreatSlots's A$10 minimum deposit gets you spinning with the smallest commitment.
Step 2 — Open the game
After depositing and claiming the welcome offer, search the casino lobby for "The Greatest Catch" or filter by Evoplay in the providers list. The game tile shows the captain in his yellow waterproofs against a stormy ocean.
Click it. The game loads in your browser (no download required — it's HTML5 and runs on any modern device).
Before you spin a real cent, click the info icon (i) in the bottom-left corner of the game. Scroll to the RTP field. It should read 96.09%. The figure is the certified Evoplay default; if you see a different figure, ask casino support which build is deployed before depositing further.
Step 3 — Set your bet
The bet panel sits below the reels. You'll see a number — that's your current bet per spin.
- Tap the + or – buttons to step the bet up or down.
- Min bet: A$0.10 per spin.
- Max bet: A$100 per spin.
For a first session we recommend starting at A$0.20 – A$1.00. That keeps you in the game long enough to actually see a free-spin trigger (the average is roughly 1 in 130-180 spins) without burning through your deposit before the math has a chance to land.
Bankroll rule of thumb: at least 150× your bet in funds before you sit down. So a A$1 bet wants a A$150 bankroll. A A$0.20 bet wants A$30. This is a medium-high-volatility pokie — runs of 60+ dry spins are normal. Don't enter a session under-funded.
Step 4 — Press spin
The big circular button bottom-centre is spin. Tap it once for a single spin. Press and hold to open the auto-spin menu.
What you're watching for:
- Standard paying combinations — three or more matching symbols left-to-right on a payline. The card-rank ornaments (A, K, Q, J, 10) are low-pays. The thematic symbols (anchor, lighthouse, fish stacks, trawler, captain) are high-pays.
- The captain symbol — the premium symbol, paying the largest base-game multipliers when it stacks across reels.
- Scatter symbols (whale shark) — three or more anywhere trigger the free-spin round. Don't worry about counting these; the game tells you when you've hit.
Step 5 — The free-spin trigger (the interesting bit)
When three or more whale-shark scatters land, the screen freezes, the captain raises his net, and you're shown how many free spins you've earned:
- 3 scatters → 10 free spins (the common trigger)
- 4 scatters → 15 free spins (significantly rarer)
- 5 scatters → 20 free spins (rarest, the max-win path)
During the round, additional scatters that land can retrigger more free spins, extending the round. This is where the math has the most room to swing in your favour — and where most of the game's documented 1,000×+ outcomes are generated.
Most rounds in our test sessions paid 12× to 60× the triggering bet. A handful of four-scatter triggers paid above 200×. The five-scatter trigger is so rare that across 250+ test spins we hit it twice; both rounds paid above 300× thanks to retriggers. For the full trigger math and retrigger mechanics, see our free spins bonus breakdown.
Step 6 — Play the round
Each spin within the round counts down toward zero. The reels behave identically to the base game — same paylines, same paytable, same captain. The only difference is that you're not paying for the spins.
At the end of the round, your total bonus win is added to your balance and you're returned to the base game.
Step 7 — Stop while you're ahead
This is the rule everyone hears and no one follows. After a big bonus round, the temptation to keep spinning is enormous because "I'm in the zone."
The math doesn't care. Each spin is independent. After a 200× win, your odds of triggering another bonus on the next spin are the same as before the first one.
Practical advice for first-timers:
- Set a session loss limit in the casino's responsible-gambling tools before you start.
- Set a session win cap — when you double your starting balance, stop.
- Use auto-spin's stop-on-win feature for the same reason.
Optional features to know about
Bonus Buy. If you don't want to wait for the natural trigger, you can pay a multiplier of your stake to enter the free-spin round directly — but only at casinos that offer the Bonus Buy edition of the game (and only in markets where Bonus Buy is permitted). The buy-in cost is typically around 80×-100× the current stake. For most players Bonus Buy is worse value than the natural trigger over a long session; see our Bonus Buy article for the maths.
Demo mode. Every reputable AU casino offers The Greatest Catch in demo mode for free. Try it before depositing real money. The math is identical to real-money play.
Common beginner mistakes
- Betting too high to start. A A$5 bet on a A$50 bankroll will end your session before you see a bonus.
- Auto-spinning without stop conditions. If you lose half your bankroll on auto, you can't say later "I would have stopped earlier."
- Confusing it with Mega Greatest Catch. They are different games with different math. Always confirm the title in the game info panel.
- Ignoring the RTP panel. Always click the (i) icon and verify the deployed RTP figure before depositing.
- Chasing losses with bigger bets. Every spin is independent. Bigger bets after losses just lose more money.
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Quick FAQ
How long does a session last? A A$50 bankroll at A$0.40 per spin lasts roughly 100-130 spins on average. With a free-spin trigger, it can last much longer.
Do I need to enable Bonus Buy? No — most players never use it. It's a shortcut, not a requirement, and only some casinos offer it.
What's the difference between three, four, and five scatters? 10, 15 and 20 free spins respectively. Four-scatter triggers are roughly 12× rarer than three-scatter; five-scatter is roughly 80× rarer than four.
Is the demo the same as real money? Yes — same math, same RTP, same RNG. Only difference is the balance is play money.
Can I lose more than my deposit? No — slot games can't withdraw more than your balance.
Will the game show me how many bonus rounds I've hit historically? Some casinos do (in account history). Otherwise no.
About this walkthrough
Tested across all four featured casinos in April-May 2026. Spins played: 250+. Free-spin rounds triggered: 12+ across triggers from three, four and five scatters. Demo and real-money behaviour verified identical.
Gambling responsibly. Pokies are entertainment. They're not income, not a way out of debt, not a system to beat. Set limits, stick to them. AU support: gamblinghelponline.org.au · BetStop · 18+ only.
Further Reading
Related reading in this guide: