Today they are the mainstay of the casino empire, located center stage in casinos worldwide, but originally slot machines were kept in the backrooms of barbershops and saloons. So-called ‘real’ gamblers dismissed slot machines as merely amusements meant to occupy women while men played card games, such as poker or blackjack, or spent time and money on the roulette wheel or at the craps table.
Slot Machines Through the Years
The history of slot machines began in the latter part of the 19th century. Early slot machines were simple, composed of individual wheels, called reels, riding on a common gear shaft. A variety of symbols lined the outside face of the reels. A pull of the side-mounted handle sent the reels spinning. When the slot reels stopped, symbols would align and certain combinations of or order to these symbols resulted in a pay-off. These early slots had ten symbols per reel and three reels. The number of stops and symbols multiplied by the number of reels equaled the number of possible combinations on the slot machine. They were designed to provide entertainment and fun for the player and profit for the owner: pay-offs were at less than true odds, guaranteeing income for the establishment where the machine was located.
In the 50s and 60s electromechanical slot machines replaced the earlier strictly mechanical models. They were basically the same machine, but with more sounds, better security and reliability, and the capability to payout larger amounts.
Slot machines got brains in the 70s, when computerized random number generators were added to determine wins and payouts. This addition increased security and service because the outcomes could now be tracked and monitored by the game operator. Reels and symbols could now be added and tracked, and today, slot machines have four or five reels per machine, with as many as 25 symbols on each reel.
Arguably the biggest change in slot machines from past to present has been its mainstream acceptance. Once merely tolerated by gamblers, slots are now sought-after, both by serious and recreational players, in casinos and online.
From Gaming Floor to Online
With the expansion and popularity of the internet, it was logical for casino-based slots to make the move over to online play. Developing technologies such as progressive jackpots and server-based games enabled the move. Identical in play to offline slots, online slots make Vegas-style gambling accessible to the average person from the comfort of their own home. Online slots also brought recreational play into being, with many people playing from home just for fun and without an eye toward winning big.
Endless Variety
There is a vast choice in types and styles of casino-based and online slots, all with incredible themes, rich graphics and sound, and a wide variety of superior features. Slots can be traditional single line, with a single pay line and three reels, or multi-line, with up to 40 pay lines, special features and bonus rounds. Huge jackpots can be won on progressive slots, with the money growing until somebody wins, and feature slot machines offer wild symbols, scatter icons, multipliers to increase winning amounts and free spins.
