The very first slot machine was invented by German immigrant Charles Fey, a mechanic living in San Francisco. It was the 1890's and the Liberty Bell had 3 reels with 10 symbols on each.
The graphics were taken from playing cards, such as kings, queens, and jacks, along with hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades. Three matching symbols resulted in a payout, with three liberty bells hitting the jackpot.
Prohibition of gambling threatened the life of slot machines. Fortunately, clever owners substituted the original symbols with fruits and gum (which later turned into BAR we see today) and rather than dispense coins, the machines would dispense candy. This way the slot machines were allowed to remain in play.
Slot machines were slow to be accepted in casinos due to their large bulky size that took up more room than tables. They also paid out more often than table games. In the 1970s, slot machines were changed to include more reels, more symbols, and larger bets so players could wager more and win less. Then slots became much more popular in casinos.
One of the biggest evolutions of the slot machine was the creation of random number generators in the 1980s. This allowed casinos to set predetermined payout percentages to each machine, further controlling their profits. This also made the iconic slot machine arm no longer necessary so the SPIN button was invented, however many machines still adorn the arm since some players still enjoy the old fashioned mechanism.
Today slot machines make up over 75% of casino's floor space, as well as bring in the most money. Slot machines are everywhere, from Nevada airports to toy stores. Whether you play just for fun or for real money, slot machines continue to be fun and addictive!
59d6992d-9820-415b-bdeb-f92e04bd3879|3|5.0
Tags:
casinos,
slot machines,
the history of the slot machine,
evolution of the slot machine,
the first slot machine,
the liberty bell slot machine
Categories:
Casino News