The
History of slots machines by Mark Hirst
Slot machines create the largest revenues of all games at casinos
in the USA. However this has not always been the case. Slots were once viewed as
the "wife's" game, a conveniently located machine that provided
entertainment to the partners of the high rollers in the casino. So how did
slots become the most profitable game in the casino? Who invented it? And how
did it get to where it is today?
The slot machine is a more modern addition to the casino than
other games such as roulette and blackjack. The first machine was invented by
Charles Fay in 1887. The actual date varies depending on the source you look at
but it is safe to say it was between 1880 and 1890. Fey was of German origin and
emigrated to America in his early years settling in New Jersey to begin with. In
Germany he was a tool foreman and learnt many of the skills he needed to create
the first slot machine.
The slot machine was nearly never invented as Fey was struck down
with a terrible bout of tuberculosis ion his early 20's. He was given less than
a year to live and his family and friends feared the worst. However Fey defied
the odds and several years later he set to work on his invention in San
Francisco.
The first machine that Fey created was known as the liberty Bell.
He built it by hand in his garage and it had 3 rows with the symbols hearts,
diamonds, spades, bells, horse shoes and stars. Fey was not only an inventor but
also an entrepreneur as well. Realising how lucrative his invention could be he
decided to rent his machines to proprietors of gambling outlets in the
surrounding state.
Another name for the slot machine was and still is the one armed
bandit. This was because players would put a nickel into the slot and pull a
large metal arm to spin the reels. The term bandit was applied because in the
early years casino operators used to rig machines to prevent payouts of large
bonuses and manipulate the payout rates of the machines, maximising their own
profits. This practice resulted in the stringent gambling laws that we have in
place today.
In 1907 Fey joined forces with the company Mills novelty. Between
them they went on to create many different designs with added features such as
double jackpots and themed machines. But all revolved around the original theme
of pulling a lever to spin the reels and paying customers who acquired certain
combinations.
In 1910 stringent gambling laws prevented many places from using
gambling machines and so there was a considerable decline in demand for slot
machines. In an attempt to get around this, companies tried creating machines
that dispensed gum rather than cash payments, although there was not much demand
for this and eventually these machines were dropped.
It is commonly thought that slots first became popular in the
1940's when Bugsy Seigel installed them at his Flamingo Hilton hotel to provide
entertainment for the wives and girlfriends of the high rollers. However other
evidence suggests that Harolds club in Nevada State was actually the first place
to install them.
Slots became more advanced and more technical over the years and
entered the electro mechanical era sometime mid way through the 20th century.
This period is symbolised by the creation of Big Berther. Big Berther cost
upwards of $150,000 to create and was driven by an electric motor. The chance of
a player hitting the jackpot was 1 in 25.6 billion.
Today many of the machines are fully computerised. The results
are generated through the use of random number generators and many of the newer
slots use video screens for reels instead of actual spinning reels. Today many
machines have 5 reels and many more combinations for winning.
The introduction of online casinos has provided yet another area
for slot machines to flourish. Online slots often have much better payouts than
their land based equivalents due to the lower running costs of operating an
online version of a casino. There are also great signup bonuses for slot
players, sometimes totalling over 400% match on your first deposit. For the
first time in history players can enjoy the excitement of playing slot machines
in the comfort of their own home.
The journey of the slot machine is one of evolution. There is no
doubt that it will continue to evolve and change, providing players with ever
increasing jackpots and other exciting additions. As is often the case casino
games never stand still.
Visit www.bewisebets.co.uk/casino today for more information on
paying slots online.
Mark Hirst is experienced
gambler specialising in the online industry. He operates an honest online gambling
directory & search engine. You can also visit his online slots strategy site for honest consumer reviews and
detailed slots strategies.
