Slot machines are one of the most popular games that have been invented. They have featured heavily at every casino; both online and land-based casinos. If you walk into any land-based casino, you will find many machines.
A slot machine is a casino game that features spinning reels. The casino player places a wager and spins the reels. The aim is to arrive at a winning combination. The amount the player wins can be higher than the bet, depending on the combination. Slot machines are available in all online casinos in Singapore.
The history of slot machines goes back to many years. This article gives you a brief history of the slot machines, who invented them, and when?
The history of the slot machine
The first slot machine was invented by Charles Fey in California in 1895. The original machine was a much simpler mechanism. It featured three spinning reels containing five symbols, diamonds, Horseshoes, hearts, spades, and a bell [Liberty Bell], where the name came from.
The players would play the game by pulling the lever at one side of the machine. That set the reels in action. The player would see the wheels spinning around and finally came to a stop. If the reels stopped with the three Liberty Bells lined up, then that was considered a jackpot and the player would win 50 cents. The machine grew in popularity and the culture of slot machines began. The original Liberty Bell slot machine is still available at the Liberty Bell Saloon & Restaurant in Nevada.
The demand for Liberty Bell slot machines grew rapidly and Fey could not produce enough machines in his small shop. Some gambling companies tried to buy the Liberty Bell’s manufacturing and production rights but Charles Fey refused to sell it. In 1907, Herbert Mills, a man who used to manufacture arcade machines in Chicago, started to produce slot machines. His slot machine was known as the Operator Bell. Mills was the first person to put fruit symbols on machines.
The ban on slot machines
In 1902, slot machines were banned in several states in the U.S. However, this did not discourage Fey or his competitors. They introduced pictures of fruits and candies on the machines instead of the playing cards. If the machine showed three pictures of chewing gum, the player would win a packet of chewing gum. From this invention, slot machines became popularly known as the Fruit machine- a name that’s still used widely in other parts of the globe.
The evolution of the slot machine
Eventually, the advancement in technology transformed the slot machines in the 1960s. During this period, the first electromechanical slot machines were produced. One of the most famous electromechanical slot machines is the “Money-Honey.”
During the early 1980s, the electromechanical machines were replaced by the electric machines which were powered by electric microprocessors. These machines allowed players to place bigger bets, meaning there were also bigger payouts. Today, Slot machines have become very popular, and you can find slot machines in every casino.