Slot machines are a firm favourite of many gamblers. Whether you prefer online or land-based variants, there are thousands to choose from, so you’re guaranteed to find something you love. In this article, we explore the evolution of classic slot machines and discuss what is in a slot machine and how they’ve evolved and changed over the years.
When was the slot machine invented?
The first slot machine type games can be dated back to the late 19th Century. Developed by Sittman and Pitt in 1891, the first game could be found in bars across the country. But what is in a slot machine? Well, the first slot machine style game had 5 drums and a total of 50 playing cards. To play, gamblers would insert a nickel, pull the lever and hope for a poker hand to line up on the reels. To increase the house edge and make things harder for players, the jack of hearts and the ten of spades were removed from the game. This reduced the odds of landing a royal flush by a whopping 50%. As the game has no direct payout mechanism, wins were paid at the bar in the way of free drinks, crisps, and cigars.
Who invented the slot machine?
While Sittman and Pitt developed the first slot machine style game, Charles Augustus Fey is believed to have invented the first actual slot machine. There is no clear evidence regarding the date of the invention, but it is thought to have happened between 1887 and 1895. While the concept of classic slot machines was already out there, Fey was the first to create a machine with automatic payouts.
First classic slot machine ever made
To do this, he had to make the machine less complicated so changed what is inside a slot machine. He replaced the 5 drums with 3 reels and also replaced the playing cards with 5 symbols – diamonds, hearts, spades, horseshoes and a liberty bell. The maximum payout was awarded for landing 3 bells on the reels, which led to the machine being named the Liberty Bell. Unfortunately, as Fey did not apply for a patent for his design, it was copied by a range of other manufactures and it wasn’t long before slot machines were rolled out across the globe.
First Symbols
The first slot machine contained 5 symbols – diamonds, hearts, spades, horseshoes and a liberty bell. However, the symbols were changed to fruit when cash-paying slot machines were banned in 1902. As cash prizes were now illegal, the design was changed to fruit symbols and the prizes were chewing gum and sweets in the relative flavours. In 1907, a slot machine called the Operator Bell was produced by Herbert Mills. A year later, the game was found in most bars, bowling alleys, shops and tobacconists. As well as the fruit symbols, the Operator Bell used the BAR symbol, which was based on the logo of the Bell-Fruit company.
First video slot
The first video slot was developed in 1976 by Las Vegas-based company Fortune Coin. The machine was first available in the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel and used a modified 19-inch Sony TV for the display. After many rounds of modifications and cheat-proofing, the video slot game was approved by the Nevada State Gaming Commission and it wasn’t long before it became popular in the Las Vegas Strip. In 1978, the company was taken over by the multinational gaming company, IGT.
Transition to Online slots
Over the next 20 years, video slots skyrocketed in popularity and became the new normal in bars, betting shops, and casinos. In the mid-’90s, the first online casino came about, offering classic casino games, such as blackjack and roulette. It wasn’t long before online slots were developed and added to the mix, and as with brick and mortar casinos, they quickly became more popular than the traditional games.
In the beginning, the style of online slots was similar to the land-based counterparts, with the same layout, number of reels and type of symbols. However, as technology developed and computer programming removed restrictions, it wasn’t long before new games hit the market. Many of these had an unusual layout structure and interesting themes, which made them popular amongst players of all sorts. Today, you can enjoy online slots with endless different themes, layouts and symbols, along with innovative bonus rounds and special features.
Over the years, the number of slot developers has increased and there are now hundreds of companies to choose from. Some of the smaller companies provide a minimal selection of slots, while industry giants such as Microgaming have over 500 titles in their collection. Overall, there is believed to be more than 2000 different slot games across all developers.
Today, Jackpot slots are one of the most popular variations online. The first online jackpot game was Cash Splash, by Microgaming, which gave players the chance to win moderately high payouts. Since the release of Cash Splash, jackpot games have hit a new level and many now offer outstanding prizes. At the time of writing, the record for the largest payout from an online slot is held by NetEnt’s Mega Moolah. In 2015, British Veteran John Heywood bagged a whopping £13.2 million from the machine, which still holds the world record today.
So, there you have it – the history of classic slot machines. Now you know what is inside a slot machine, you might want to try them out for yourself. If you do, that’s no problem! Here at NetBet, we have a wide range of online casino games including traditional blackjack, roulette, and of course, slots. With plenty of themes, genres, and jackpots available, you’re guaranteed to find something that suits you.
