The slot machine is uniquely American. Whereas other games of chance have developed in Europe or are played with dice, cards, or wheels, the slot machine was the first game that required no skill or guessing. It was also the first mechanical game, where a machine did all the work once the money was dropped and the lever drawn.

The first slot machine was the Liberty Bell, which was invented by Charles Fey. For the most part, modern slot machines have not changed much from the 1895 original. The general concept remains the same: three spinning wheels with symbols on them, one of which was designated as the jackpot symbol. Fey’s machine had spades, diamonds, hearts, and a picture of the Liberty Bell. Three Liberty Bells meant a jackpot winning of ten nickels.

The Evolution of the Slot Machine

The early success of Fey’s machine gave way to other mechanical gaming machines. In 1910, the Mills Novelty company developed a variation of the Liberty Bell. This new machine was called the Operator Bell, and it was this machine that introduced the fruit symbols that are still seen on slot machines today. In those days, the fruit represented flavors of chewing gum that the machines dispensed to winners.

In the 1960s, Bally modernized the slot machine, developing the type of machine seen in casinos and other gaming establishments today.

Today’s reels have 20 symbols each. The most recognizable are the historical fruit and bars and bells, as well as gambling’s traditional lucky number 7. Other symbols are variations of the familiar symbols (such as double bars) or bright, eye-catching pictures that match the theme of the machine.

Over the years, more reels have been added, bumping it up from 3 to 5. More lines have been added to the traditional one line, as well.

Money Makers

Slot machines came to Las Vegas casinos with Bugsy Seigel and his Flamingo Hotel and Casino. They weren’t meant to attract the hard-core gambler; instead, Seigel wanted them for entertainment of the wives, girlfriends, and mistresses of his male clientele. Today, the machines are so popular in casinos that they regularly bring in approximately 60 percent of a casino’s revenue.

info@birthofgaming.com