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The
History of Slot Machines
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Slot
machines are one of the most
recognizable games found in casinos.
Known by various names, such as a
fruit machines, poker machines, or
simply as slots, these games have
long since evolved from the very
first slot machines, also known as
one-armed bandits. Precursors
To Slot Machines In 1891,
the first gambling machine was
developed and built by Sittman and
Pitt in Brooklyn, New York. It was
initially conceived as a machine
that could cash in on the popularity
of poker. To play, a nickel would be
inserted into the machine, which
allowed the lever to be pulled,
which in turn spun the five drums.
Players would then hope for a good
poker hand, which would allow them
to win various prizes, as determined
by the "house", or bar that the
machine was located. This was partly
because this early gambling machine
did not have an automated payout
mechanism, requiring someone to
visually confirm the results of the
pull, and to award the prize. There
were other similar machines used in
saloons, confectionery, and general
stores called trade simulators.
Placed on a counter top in the
establishment, they were meant to
encourage customers to play for a
prize. These trade simulators also
typically had five drums or reels,
and most of symbols were fruit,
representing the fruit-flavored
chewing gums that were offered as
prizes. Like the Sittman and Pitt
gambling machine, however, these
trade simulators did not have an
automated or direct payout
mechanism. The First Slot
Machine The first true
slot machine was invented in San
Francisco by Charles Fey, in the
year 1895. Like the gambling machine
that preceded it, a player would
insert a nickel and pull a lever to
make the slot machine's reels spin.
Unlike its predecessor, it offered a
much simpler game, making use of
only three reels with five symbols,
allowing fewer winning combinations.
This allowed Fey to create an
automatic mechanism that could
detect these combinations, and
instantly offer rewards for them,
without the need for human
supervision. Known as the Liberty
Bell machine, as it made use of a
Liberty Bell as one of its symbols,
it was a huge success. Fey could not
keep up with the orders for his
machine, with various establishments
like saloons, barber shops, and even
brothels looking to have their very
own Liberty Bell slot machine. Soon,
other companies offered their own
variations of slot machines,
featuring more combinations and
higher payouts. New Laws
and Prohibition Despite
the popularity of the game, and
perhaps because of it, new laws were
introduced in 1909 which prohibited
slot machines from dispensing cash.
Previously, more relaxed laws
allowed the development and
widespread use of slot machines. But
now, owners and manufacturers had to
make adjustments to their games and
machines. Some began to offer gum
and other prizes for winning
combinations, allowing the machines
to still be used legally. With the
prohibition declared in 1919, slot
machines found renewed popularity in
the speakeasies that sprung up in
response to the prohibition. As
speakeasies offered alcohol and were
illegal anyway, slot machines were
also found inside them that offered
cash prizes to players. However,
when gambling was legalized in
Nevada in 1931, slot machine
manufacturers found a new market for
their machines and games - namely
the new casinos. This allowed slot
machines to be enjoyed legally for
the first time in decades, and also
allowed manufacturers to continue
building and designing newer and
better machines as well, further
increasing the popularity of slot
machines, and making them one of the
most recognizable games in casinos.
Further Advancements and
Innovations Manufacturers
and designers of slot machines
continued to strive for better and
more innovative designs, as well as
better slot games. 1963 saw the
development and manufacture of the
first electromechanical slot
machine, the Money Honey. Being
powered by electricity, it had new
sound effects, and was the first
slot machine to have a coin hopper.
The Money Honey offered even higher
payouts than previous machines, able
to dispense up to five hundred coins
automatically. This started a trend
not only for more complex machines
and higher payouts, but also for the
use of electric slot machines and
games. Soon, the side lever that
earned slot machines the nickname of
one-armed bandit, was no longer
required. In 1976, the first video
slot machine was developed, making
use of logic boards for slot machine
functions, and a 19-inch Sony
Trinitron for its color display. The
Las Vegas Hilton hotel was the first
to have these slot machines, though
at first there were some
reservations about whether the
machine was fair. The Nevada State
Gaming Commission eventually
approved the design, and the use of
logic boards, after some
modifications designed to ensure
that the game was fair. Video slot
machines proved to be very popular,
and became the new trend for slot
machines. It also allowed more
innovative and creative games to be
played on slot machines. As
microprocessor technology advanced,
slot machines became even more
complex and even more popular. In
1996 the first video slot machine
with a bonus round was designed,
which allowed players to participate
in a bonus game to win them even
more prizes. Soon, the bonus round
became standard in video slot
machines. Online Play and
More With the advent of
online casinos, video slot machines
could now be played online, allowing
players to play slots anywhere, and
at any time of the day. While
players await the next innovation in
slot machine games, slot machines
remain one of the most popular
casino games. With the ease and
convenience of today's slot machine
games, it is more than likely that
slot machines will continue to be
one of the most played games in both
real casinos, as well as virtual
casinos.
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