- Are Indian Casino Slots Fixed
- Find A Slot Machine
- Picture Of A Slot Machine
- How A Slot Machine Works
- How Slot Machines Are Programmed
If you put $100 into a machine and cash out at $150, take it to the bank machine and put that $50 into your winners bank. It's now going home with you as a win! Once you get home, use your key to open it up and count all your winnings.
Most experts believe that the first slot machine was developed by the Sittman and Pitt Company in Brooklyn in 1891, although some credit the invention of slot machines to Bavarian immigrant, Charles Fey. The dispute is due to the fact that Sittman and Pitt’s machine was very different from anything resembling a modern slot machine.
Sittman and Pitt’s machine was made of cast iron and used standard playing cards. A random five card sequence would be generated after players inserted their coins. Then, using the same rules as poker, players with better hands would be allowed to keep playing and eventually cash out.
Drawbacks of the Sittman and Pitt Machine
Initially, Sittman and Pitt’s slot machine was developed to improve efficiency in saloons. The idea was well conceived, but it had two significant limitations:
The machine lacked a feature for dispensing money, which created serious debates over what rewards winning players should receive. And since saloons were on the hook to offer free drinks, cigars and other rewards – and because the rules varied between saloons – players couldn’t always be certain what they’d receive for winning hands.
The machine only had 50 cards, rather a standard 52 card deck, limiting players’ opportunities to be dealt winning hands.
A few years later, Fey developed his own version of the machine – known as the Liberty Bell slot machine – which sought to improve on this model.
The Liberty Bell Slot Machine
Charles Fey’s Liberty Bell slot machine departed from Sittman and Pitt’s machine in two substantial ways:
Unlike Sittman and Pitt’s machines, the Liberty Bell used reels with different symbols instead of cards. These reels had diamonds, spades, hearts, clubs, bells, stars and horseshoes as symbols – the same symbols still used by some slot machines today.
The Liberty Bell machines could actually dispense coins to winning players. Players would receive between two and twenty coins, depending on the combination on their reels.
This machine was very well received in saloons throughout the United States, causing many other companies to start producing them. The introduction of the Liberty Bell slot machine line is seen as the beginning of mechanical gambling.
Other Companies Improve on Fey’s Design
While the Liberty Bell closely resembles modern slot machines, the machines it inspired incorporated several new features that today’s gamblers will recognize. For instance, about a decade after the first Liberty Bell machine was produced, Mills Novelty Co. produced the Operator Bell slot machine, which was the first slot machine to have fruit for slots.
Debates Over Regulation Transpire Across the World
As slot machines became more widely produced, jurisdictions across the world debated the need for regulation. Politicians in the United States had a rather puritanical outlook during the 1920s, so they sought to strongly restrict – or even outright ban – slot machines.
As slot machine manufacturers struggled to grow their market share in the United States, they expanded their marketing efforts abroad. The European markets, in particular, grew rapidly during the 1970s, thanks to more lenient regulation. Contrasting regulatory philosophies between the United States and Europe still exist, which has allowed online gambling to become a stronger industry in Europe.
Electronic Generation of Slot Machines
Slot machines continued to evolve over the years, driven in large part by our increasing reliance on electronics and technology. Bally Manufacturing, for example, released Money Honey, the first entirely electronic slot machine in 1963. Bally’s machine retained the lever that was used in more primitive slot machines, though other manufacturers would go on to get rid of it altogether.
The initial benefit of electronic slot machines was that they were more reliable and convenient to use. However, future generations of electronic slots became even more sophisticated. In 1996, WMS Industries, Inc. developed a series of slot machines called Reel ‘Em In that came with a second screen, allowing players to earn special bonuses that weren’t available with prior slot machines.
Wider Array of Choices
While slot machines continued to evolve over the years, gamblers still had limited options at their disposal, until manufacturers began to introduce different types of slot-style games. Here are just a few of the options that are currently available to casino patrons:
Progressive slots
3-reel classics
5-reel video slots
i-Slots
Bonus slots
Patrons can still find many of these electronic slot machines in casinos around the world. They were also important in laying the groundwork for what would eventually become the slots-style games offered on online gambling sites.
Online Slots
Online slots haven’t made the slot machines in casinos obsolete, but they’ve certainly changed the course of the gaming industry since the launch of the first online gambling software and online gambling in 1994.
Since then, the online gambling industry has grown faster than anybody would have ever predicted. There were only 15 online gaming sites in 1996, but that figured increased to 200 by the following year. Many different forms of online gambling have been made available over the years, but slot machines remain one of the most popular.
Mobile gambling, in particular, is on the rise, and it’s likely that demand for mobile slots will increase in the future as well. The existing digital gaming industry is currently estimated to be worth about $3 billion, but value could rise as mobile gaming becomes more popular.
What’s Next in the Ever-Evolving Future of Slot Machines?
Although slot machines have been a popular form of gambling for more than a century, they continue to evolve. As new technology and features become available in the near future, it’s likely we’ll see even more growth and engagement with this fun digital gaming option.
What do you think will be the future of the slot machine? Share your predictions by leaving a comment below:
Most people look at the vast array of casino slot machines and assume they are all alike. They see a handle, a coin slot, flashing lights and figure one is as good as another. However, in making this assumption, they fail to see a lot of valuable information to help determine if they should play a particular slot machine.
Surprisingly perhaps, machines aren't all the same. The best way to separate one from another is to learn how to “read” a machine by looking at the payout schedule on the front. Let’s see what information can be found on a typical slot machine.
Casinos here in the U.S. and abroad keep several types of slot machines in play at any given time. A few you'll most often see:
Multiplier: This machine has a payout for a certain symbol and the number of coins played multiplies it. If the machine pays 5 coins for three lemons when you play one coin, it would pay 10 for the second coin and 15 for three coins played. This machine does not penalize you for not playing maximum coins. If you plan to play only one coin at a time, this is the type of machine you should look for.
Bonus Multiplier: This machine operates like the multiplier but offers a bonus when you play maximum coins and hit the jackpot. Three 7’s may pay 1,000 for one coin, 2,000 for two coins and 10,000 for maximum coins. The central question is whether the bonus is worth playing the extra coin.
Are Indian Casino Slots Fixed
Multiple Payline: These machines have more than one line of play. Each coin activates a particular line. If you hit a winner on a line that is not activated, you will not receive anything. The older machines used to have three lines but the newer video slots can have up to nine lines.
Buy-a-Pay: These are the most misunderstood machines in the casino. Each coin activates a different payout. You need the maximum coins to receive the largest jackpot.
One example is the Sizzlin' 7s machines. This machine will pay on cherries, bars, and sevens. The sevens pay 1,000 coins. If you play one coin you collect only on the cherries. If you play two coins you collect on cherries and bars.
Three coins are required to collect on the Sizzlin' 7s. If you hit the jackpot with one coin in you will not win anything -- do not play this machine under any circumstances unless you are playing the maximum coins.
Find A Slot Machine
Progressive Slots: The progressive slots take a certain percentage of the money played and add it to a pool for the top jackpot.
Picture Of A Slot Machine
First and foremost, It is never wise to play a progressive machine with less than the maximum coins -- stories abound of people losing out on lesser progressive jackpots because of short coin play.
Some casinos link machines together within their own facility to offer mini-progressive jackpots.
Megabucks and Quarter Mania are examples of machines from several casinos linked together to offer 'life-changing jackpots'. It's important to keep in mind that payback percentage on lesser wins is lowered to allow for these jackpots.
How A Slot Machine Works
All of the information you need is posted on the front of each slot machine. Before sitting down to play, taking a minute to “read” the machine will help make you more knowledgeable in determining which machines may be best suited for you.
How Slot Machines Are Programmed
Until next time, remember:
'Luck comes and goes...Knowledge Stays Forever.'