How Slot Machines Have Evolved
Slot machines need no introduction as they are the most popular games in the gambling industry. Players can choose from thousands of different brands, themes, and features. Slot machines are pivotal to online casinos and players because they have evolved. These famous machines didn’t exist in the last decade, and the first slot machines didn’t look like what we have in casinos today. The earliest slot machines didn’t draw so much attention as they came with many flaws, but each modification has helped them become more enticing.
Slot machines have been around since the late 19th A and have become a big part of the gambling industry. Whether online or land-based, there are thousands of games available to players. Slots can boast the biggest payout in gambling history and one of the enormous losses.
This article will concentrate on walking readers through how Wizard slots have evolved.
Liberty Bell
The first slot machine was in 1894, created by a car mechanic, Charles Fey, in San Franciso. He named his device Liberty Bell and it had three spinning reels and a single pay line. The Liberty Bell has five symbols: diamonds, hearts, liberty bell, horseshoes, and spade. The most significant attribute of this slot machine is its ability to allow automatic payouts. A spin resulting in three liberty bells in a row gives the highest payout. The biggest payout was priced at $50 or 10 nickels. As such, the device was named Liberty Bell. Other manufacturers soon started to imitate Fey’s design and created various slot machines.
Slot machines were banned in 1909 in San Francisco, but this didn’t dampen players’ interest. To get around the law, Fey and other slot machine manufacturers invented machines without slot machines. Winners were paid with free drinks, food, cigars, and chewing gums as cash prizes could longer be distributed.
Operator Bell
Industry Novelty Company, owned by Hibert Mills, created another slot machine in 1907. At first, it was named operator bell; it adopted the same symbols as Charle Fey’s Liberty ball. Mills advanced later to create a slot machine with fruit symbols such as lemons, plums, and cherries. The feature that caught the eye of players was the chewing gum vending attachment; payouts were made in the flavour of the corresponding gum. The fruit themed-game climbed the ladder of fame and was adopted by other slot manufacturers like Watling, Jennings, and pace.
In 1916, the Industry Novelty Company came up with the jackpot concept. This feature allowed a machine to dispense its coins to a lucky player who gets a specific combination of symbols. Slots continued to grow in fame even during the great depression in the US; it was a source of hope to gamblers.
Electrochemical Slots
Slot machines remained strictly mechanical. Players needed to pull the lever to set the reel in motion and stretch the spring to halt the spinning reels gradually. In 1964, electrochemical slots came into play, and Bally Manufacturing of Chicago created them. It was named Money Honey; it became the first electrochemical slot. It marked the end of pulling levers for reels to spin as it functioned electrically. Money Honey was the first bottomless hopper machine with a payout of up to 500 coins.
Video Slots
Video slots were first conceived in 1976 by Fortune coin, a Las Vegas-based company. Video slots worked by creating a video screen that displayed reels. This innovation welcomed new themes, features, bonuses, and pay lines. In addition, this innovation brought about improved sound quality that matches the game’s theme.
Online Slots
The most significant innovation in slot machines came in 1996 with the introduction of online slots. With the advent of this technology, players can play on slot machines from the comfort of their bedrooms, offices, and cars from their laptops and smartphones. Online slots make sure you keep your convenience while playing slots.
