The History of the Slot Machine
Charles Fey, a German immigrant who was working as a mechanic in San Francisco, created the first slot machine 1899. Called the Liberty Bell, this machine worked the way most people think modern slot machines work. Inside the wooden casing were three metal reels with ten symbols on them – mostly playing card suits – and one Liberty Bell on each reel. When the arm was pulled the reels spun and stopped sequentially. Jackpots were awarded if three of the same symbol came up, with three Liberty Bells paying out the most: ten nickels.Three years later, slot machines were outlawed in California and Nevada, but the slot machine makers didn’t give up. The machines were modified, replacing coins with candy and gum and awarding drinks as jackpot prizes instead of money. The cherries that remain on modern machines are part of this legacy.
Successive generations of slot machines were not very popular with the casino patrons or the casinos themselves. Up until the late 1970s, many of the largest casinos had only a few hundred machines available for play. That all changed when pinball manufacturer, Bally, stepped in, developing machines with both electric and mechanical parts. By the 80s, the reels were completely computerized and random number generator software was universally in use. Today, thousands of slot machines populate the floors of casinos.
Playing Antique Slots Online
If finding and investing in an antique slot machine for yourself is not within your budget, you can still enjoy playing these old machines. Many online slots casinos include three-reel machines among their gaming choices. Three-reel slots are the modern version of the old antique slots, with each one featuring three reels and one to five pay-lines. Visually, these online machines have an old fashioned look reminiscent of the antique machines, with three dimensional reels that seem as if they are actually spinning and symbols that can stop anywhere. Though reminiscent of the slots of yesteryear, the three-reel online slots are very state-of-the-art online games and feature up-to-date software technology and random number generators.
Fruit machines, also known as amusement with prizes or AWP machines, are UK-style three-reel machines. Two features that make the fruit machines unique are the hold and nudge functions. Using these two functions adds an element of slots strategy to online play, making the player an active participant in the game and able to actually make winning combinations come together rather than simply relying on chance and luck. Online fruit machines also offer special bonus games, offering players more chances to win by playing a game within a game.
