History of Slots – Early Days and Modern Development
Many people who visit casinos frequently will tell you that slots are the main reason why they go there at all. Simply, slots are the most interesting and exciting aspect of the gaming experience for millions visitors of casinos throughout the world. Even if you plan on betting on another game, you probably won’t miss the chance to hit at least a couple of slots. People love them mostly because of the fact that you can win a lot on a single penny or a couple of pennies and that the rounds are quite quick. There are literally thousands of different slot machines and each player can choose the one of his or her liking.
The Origin of Slot Machines – The Liberty Bell
Historically speaking, slots may not be older than other casino games, but their history is more than a hundred years long and it is quite exciting. Let us take you through a short journey of how it all began. One of the first developed slot machines was called the Liberty Bell. It was the kind of machine that we today call “fruit slot”. Alternatively, the term “one-armed bandit” is used. The person who developed this slot was, unsurprisingly, a mechanic, a car mechanic from Chicago, named Charles Fey, who was 33 years old at the time (1895). Not only was the Liberty Bell among the very few first slot machines, but it also set the standard for numerous slot machines that we see today. The technology used for its three-reel mechanism is very similar to the one used on many slot machines even today. The original Liberty Bell is kept in a saloon in Reno, as an object of historic value. The player was supposed to put a nickel (a 5-cent coin) in the slot machine in order to play. The 3 reels featured 6 symbols – a cracked Liberty Bell, star, spade, diamond, heart and a horseshoe. The jackpot prize was won when three Liberty Bells appeared on all three reels and the payout was 50 cents, or 10 nickels. Other combinations were also rewarded, such as 40 cents for 3 hearts, 30 cents for 3 diamonds, 20 cents for 3 spades, 10 cents for a star and two horseshoes and a nickel (the original bet) for 2 horseshoes.
Other imitations followed quickly
Poker Slot Machine 1891 by Sittman and Pitt
The Liberty Bell wasn’t the oldest gaming machine per se. There was a machine which was developed before it and which was based on the game of poker. This machine was invented by two people from Brooklyn, New York – Sittman and Pitt in the year 1891. The machine had a mechanism consisting of 5 drums. The drums held fifty cards. It was also a nickel-slot and it was activated by pulling a lever. Then the drums would start spinning and 5 cards would show on the five drums. The goal was to get as good a poker hand as possible. Even though the slot operated on nickels, the payouts weren’t in cash, but rather a pack of cigarettes, beers, cigars or spirits. This slot was usually placed in bars and similar establishments. Each owner could determine the payouts and the prizes for the 1891 Poker slot machine that was based at his place. The house, of course, wanted to have a higher house edge that would enable them to earn more money and that’s why 2 cards were commonly taken out from the deck – the Jack of Hearts and the 10 of Spades, which renders getting a royal flush twice less likely.
Operator Bell 1908
As we already mentioned, Fey’s Liberty Bell followed the earlier Poker slot machine, but it was a modified version which served as a model for later and contemporary slot machines. Since the Liberty Bell was so popular and there was a high demand for the slot, Fey joined forces with a company – Mills Novelty, and they began producing a modified version of the Liberty Bell called the Mills Liberty Bell. During the next year they developed the Operator Bell. This version featured fruit symbols, instead of Liberty Bells, stars and diamonds. This became the norm for future slot machines and that’s the reason why they’re often even referred to as “fruit machines” in British English. The Operator Bell was a huge success and more than 30,000 copies were manufactured and sold in the first 5 years or so. Then in 1915 Mills Novelty introduced a newer, cheaper variant of the Operator Bell. This machine was produced from lighter materials, such as wood instead the heavier iron which was used for the original version. The company kept introducing novelties to their slot machines. One of the first problems that they addressed was the noise volume that was created by the earlier versions. The newer, quieter versions were often called “silent bells”.
Money Honey – The First Electrical Slot Machine
In the years before the WW2 slot machines kept gaining popularity in the US, the UK and throughout the rest of the world. One of the great novelties of the time was the introduction of electromechanical elements in the slot machines. Bally was a pioneering company in that field. As early as the beginning of the war, they introduced the High Hand draw machine, based on poker, which had an electromagnetic core. The first slot machine that was completely electromechanical was introduced in 1963. The slot was called Money Honey. That was truly the beginning of a new era for casinos, in particular for slot machines. The advantages of the Money Honey in comparison to the other, non-electromechanical slot machines were significant. Money Honey was the first slot machine which could be used without any help from a member of staff, even when it came to payouts.
Today’s Slot Machines
After the Money Honey, the companies focused predominantly on developing electronic machines and all of the mechanical elements were gradually substituted with electronic ones. By the 1970’s the casinos realised the potential, the popularity and, of course, the revenues that the slots bring and they started rearranging the space in their premises so that there would be more space for slots. The slot machines of the time did cost a lot of money, but they also brought large profits for the casino industry. The fact that no practical skills are involved and there is always the chance to win large amounts for small bets, has always been the main attraction to these games.
The computerised slots that appeared in the 80’s were the next big thing and they were a substitute for the predominant electronic slots of the previous period. These new slots also accepted bills, in addition to coins. The casinos started placing slot machines throughout the whole gaming area, instead of concentrating them in just one section. Estimates show that since the emergence of computerised slots, the slot revenues accounted for more than 30% of the total revenues of casinos. What used to be a mechanism in the older, more primitive slot machines was now substituted with a random number generator (RNG), software which guaranteed that the spins of the slot are entirely arbitrary and that the game outcomes are not rigged. RNG became a significant factor for increasing the credibility of the games and attracting more players who hope to hit their big win while staking small amounts.
The popularisation of personal computers, the rise of the Internet and the creativity of software developers and engineers gave birth to a new phenomenon – online slots. As their name suggests, these slots are played online and a player can access a game from his or her computer, whilst sitting at the desk or in the couch. A lot of players play at online casinos these days, so this is hardly surprising. These slots also use random number generators and they undergo independent audits to make sure the games are fair. But, unlike brick-and-mortar casinos, online casinos don’t suffer from limited space and they can fit as many slots as they like. This is the reason why hundreds, even thousands of different online slots have been developed. Sometimes they are developed in sequels.
Unlike traditional slot machines that were either fruit slots or based on poker, these new online slots are often thematic and they could be based on practically anything – films, comics, books, history, etc. In addition, many online casinos offer the so-called progressive slots. Here you can read a helpful article on the topic. With this type the jackpot prize isn’t fixed, as the name suggests, it is progressive and it increases depending on the number of players who play the game. For many games the amounts reach up to 7 or even 8 digits.