Over the years, slot machines have become more and more popular, allowing players to enjoy hours of fun while having a chance to win cash prizes. From the historic “One Arm Bandit” to the video slots that occupy a large part of many online casinos today, these games have seen a rise in popularity around the world.
This article will discuss the history of these machines and their evolution from land based games to internet gaming sensations.
When was the slot machine invented?
The first slot machine as we know it today can be traced back to around 1891. Known as the “one-armed bandit”, this machine was invented in New York by Sittman and Pitt. With five drums acting as reels and a lever on the side that triggered them, there were 50 card symbols available. As with modern fruit machines, they were commonly used in bars across the country.
The first automatic slot
Not long after the invention of the “One-Armed Bandit”, the first slot machine was invented by a man named Charles Fey in California in 1895. With only three reels, this slot was generally considered to run on a much simpler mechanism and only had five reel symbols.
This first online slot, called Liberty Bell, could be seen as an influencer for some of today’s modern video slots, which still use three reels and a minimal amount of symbols.
Reel symbols
Fruit symbols have long been associated with slot machines, possibly dating back to 1907 and the invention of the slot machine by Herbert Mills. Herbert Mills called it Operator Bell and created it to compete with Charles Fey.
Despite the evolution of slot machines and reel symbols consisting of almost anything, many video slots still use the classic fruit symbols. One of the most popular video slots around, Double Bubble draws on classic features and symbols while still giving players a modern spin experience.
Slot machines as we know them
In 1963, Bally Manufacturing succeeded in producing a slot without a side lever. As the first electromechanical machine, it was able to reward coins automatically without the help of an operator. This slot called Money Honey paved the way for the electronic games of the future.
Presentation of video slots
Although Bally Manufacturing managed to bring electronic features to the slot machine scene some 13 years earlier, the first true video slots were invented in the mid-1970s in California. Fortune Coin Co developed video slot technology in 1976, mounted the display on the slot machine cabinet and received approval from the Nevada State Gaming Commission.
Video slots today
The video slots we know today and their place in gaming can be traced back to the 1990s and the launch of the first online casinos. In 1994, the first online casino with a variety of video slots was launched.
Currently, there are hundreds of online casinos where thousands of judi slot online can be played. They are provided by a number of software vendors and seem to cover all types of categories and genres.
Chances of winning huge sums of money are everywhere, especially with the introduction of progressive slots. Because of these games, some are connected to wider networks, allowing prize pools to grow rapidly and regularly reach the millions.
