Slot Machine History and the Online Slot

Slot Machine Origins

Slot machines have been entertaining people from all walks of life for over a hundred years. Known also at one time as ‘one arm bandits’ and ‘penny machines’, the trusty slot machine constitutes a major part of the casino. It is believed that the origins of the slot machine lie in a creation by Charles Fey in San Francisco in 1895. Fey had faith in his first invention and in conjunction with the Mill Novelty Company produced the Mills Liberty Bell Machine in 1905. This slot was a very heavy cast iron machine and the history of the slot machine had begun. The original slot machines featured playing cards on their reels. In the early stages, cigarettes and sometimes sweets were put forward as winnings. In 1910, the Operator Bell machine was introduced by the Mill Novelty Company. This machine was also made out of cast iron and included fruit symbols on its reels. For this reason, slot machines were known to some people as “fruit machines”. Fruit symbols can still be found on some of today’s slot machines. The early slot machines also featured a bell on the top which rang when a winning combination was reached. This element was later discarded, although some of the slot machines located in land based casinos today, are crowned with a bell that rings when the player wins.
Life of the Slot

After its apparent birth in 1895, the slot machine faced a rocky time in its history in the early 1900s when there was conflict and disagreement regarding the issue of gambling. Somehow, the slot machine’s roots held firm and it survived. The 1930s brought around somewhat quieter slot machines that earned the name the ‘Silent Bell’. The 1970s saw the first electronic video slot and during the 1980s, the first video poker machines arrived on the scene. In the mid 1990s, together with the appearance of online casinos on the Internet, online slot machine games surfaced, almost as a natural development for the time.
Slots Move Online

In online slot machine entertainment, the notion of the game remains the same. The slot has kept faithful to its origins and the game has just been adapted for use via the Internet. As an online form of amusement, certain elements had to be altered, such as the insertion of a coin. However, today’s top quality casino software offers slot machine games with bright and sharp graphics enhanced by realistic sound effects. An important feature of the current slot machines is the random number generator (RNG) that ensures that the play is random and that the player receives a fair game and chance of winning. Online gaming presents a player with the opportunity to play slots at a time and place of convenience. Many enjoy the pleasure of slot machine entertainment from the comfort of home.

 

A glance at the history of slot machines demonstrates that this has proved to be a very successful game. Based on a simple idea, the popular slot machine has found a place for itself among the top casino games.