Rows of slot games are one of the most distinctive images people associate with gambling. They have a long history and different names in various parts of the world. In Australia, they are known as poker machines or pokies. In England, they are called fruit machines. Scotsmen call them puggies. But the oldest nickname comes from America. As soon as they were invented, they were called one-armed bandits, because of the obvious similarities between the two. It can be argued that slots are responsible for the growth of the gambling industry in the early 20th century. It is estimated that around 70% of all casinos’ revenue comes from slot games.
The History of Slot Games
In 1891, a company called Sittman and Pitt from Brooklyn produced a machine that will become the forefather of all slot games. It had five drums, each with ten faces based on poker cards, for a total of 50 symbols. It soon became so popular that it was almost impossible to find a bar in New York that didn’t have at least one in a corner. The machine didn’t pay the rewards itself, but rather the establishment itself. The rewards were also based on poker. A pair would get you a free beer, while a royal flush would earn you cigars or more free drinks.
A few years later, a much simpler version was devised by Charles Fray in San Francisco. It had just three drums, each with five symbols, diamonds, hearts, horseshoe, spades, and Liberty Bell. Since there were far fewer winning combinations, Fray was able to incorporate a direct payout mechanism into his machine. Soon, many other manufacturers copied his method and slot games became an everyday sight in America.
Classic Slot Games
Classic slot games are synonymous with casinos worldwide. One of the first site that greets you upon landing on McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas are rows of these machines. Today, the old, mechanical versions are very rare and are mostly a curiosity, found in museums and gathered by collectors. The unmistakable sounds of the lever being pulled and bells announcing the winning combination are now played through speakers of electronic slot games. They invoke a level of nostalgia modern machines simply do not have. If you come across one of these relics, you should definitely give it a spin.
Online Slot Games
Officially, online gambling was born in 1994. In 1996, there was a grand total of fifteen gambling sites in the world. One of the first games they had were online slot games. They were easy to make and people were familiar with them as many free online slots available. As with all other digital games, you would be hard-pressed to recognize them today. In two and a half decades, the progress designers made, powered by the improving hardware, is amazing. Even today, when players have a much wider choice of games at their disposal, slots remain the most popular online gambling pastime. Online slot games come in many shapes and forms. The golden age of video games has had its effects on the development of slots as well, who took advantage of many solutions from the gaming industry. Most importantly, the hardware capabilities have allowed them to create some truly magnificent games.
Video Slots
Video slots are fully digital slot games that can be found in both online and brick and mortar casinos. Instead of traditional reels and drums, they use a display that depicts the combinations. The latest versions use touch screens, making them even more user-friendly. Another popular version is themed video slots. The theme can be almost anything, a rock band, a Hollywood blockbuster, sport, even WWE. Comic books and cartoons are also widespread choices. Since there are no mechanical constraints, the designers aren’t limited to the number of reels they use or even on the layout. This leads to a large number of payout combinations and unusual looks that attract players. Be careful when choosing the number of lines you want to bet on, though. If a single bet costs 10 cents, betting on 50lines will set you back $5 a pop. Things can get expensive rather quickly if you don’t pay attention.
Progressive Slot Games
The top award in a slot game is called a jackpot. It is usually a fixed amount paid on a certain combination. Jackpots are usually very large, but also very rare. Progressive slots take a different approach. For each play that didn’t win a jackpot, the amount increases, as well as the chances of hitting one. This can lead to some insane sums. The current record is $11.8 million, paid out on Mega Moolah slot by NetEnt. Potentially, some slots can provide even bigger jackpots. Due to this setup, progressive slots are very popular with players.
0 Comments