History of Slots

Slot machines have come a long way since their original incarnations, first seen in America in the 1880′s. The first slots had five drums that featured card faces, and the concept of the game was based on poker (this is why in Australia and New Zealand, slot machines are still known casually as ‘poker machines’ or ‘pokies’, even though many modern slots have nothing at all to do with the card game). The machines were placed in bars, and instead of paying out money, a good poker hand when you played the game, which cost a nickel (5 cents) a time, would win you a prize from the bar, like a drink or a cigar. Later, more automatic machines were invented in California, and these became the norm.

Slot machines vary a lot in different locations and countries. In most casinos in the USA there are slot machines that very much resemble the original ‘one armed bandits’, with a lever on the side (though this is often just there as a traditional element because most games are played with an electronic button). In the UK, ‘fruit machines’ are more popular in bars and games arcades, where the original reel concept is combined with more advanced gaming features, often themed around a TV show, movie or other familiar design. Slots are the most popular form of gambling today because they are easy to play, even for people with no real knowledge of other types of casino game that require more skill or strategy like poker or blackjack, and an individual bet is generally small – anything from a few cents to a dollar. 70% of the income made by casinos in America comes from their slot machines.

In the online gaming world, the concept of slots has been used to make some great randomised online games. Because the types of things you can do with the basic idea of a slot machine are so broad, they allow online game developers to be creative and make some really attractive and interesting online games, often with big money pay outs. As a result of this, slots are now just as popular in online casinos as they are in bricks and mortar casinos and other places where they are typically found, like bars and arcades. Slots often have the biggest jackpots in an online casino, and are very easy to learn, so players tend to enjoy them a lot.