If on the one hand the fun is in an immense universe that ranges from themes to technical games, on the other, it has a very long history and is similar to that of human culture itself.
Present since the end of the 19th century, these machines have become a benchmark when it comes to casino games and are by far the most popular bet. In this article we will see some curiosities about these impressive slot machines.
History of slot machines
As incredible as it may seem, the first slot machines were not exactly slot machines, since the prizes were not given in coins, but something more similar to the gifts of folk fairs. As the machines were installed in bars, the most common gifts were cigarettes, snacks and a drink.
Origin of slot machines
This machine consisted of a fully mechanical device and was equipped with 5 reels on a parallel axis. Each reel contained 10 cards, and based on the combination, they made up a poker hand. Depending on the combinations of the reels, the customer who activated the spin lever could receive a prize or not. Its inventor was the Sittman & Pitt Company of New York, United States, in 1891.
The first slots
As already mentioned, there are two theories about its emergence. The first states that in 1981 the Americans Sittman and Pitt, from Brooklyn, owned a machine with 5 reels and 50 cards. When the reels stopped spinning, the cards were revealed, forming a poker hand. The winning hand was then awarded, and the prizes were drinks and cigarettes.
The second story involves Charles August Fey, who, between 1987 and 1989, would have developed three slot machines. The most famous was the Liberty Bell, of which we have already spoken a bit. The Liberty Bell generated automatic prizes of up to ten coins.
The meaning of the name
The name “slots”, in Spanish, is far from expressing something positive. It is as if the machine is only meant to take money from the client, without offering anything else in return. And we know that it is not so.
Slot machines offer entertainment, fun, and most importantly, lots of chances to win!
They offer the most diverse themes, for all tastes! Its developers are giant industries that strive to create games that provide moments of great emotion to their users, even offering million-dollar jackpots.
However, the name comes from the fact that to play you had to insert coins into the game. The original machines were coin operated and paid out in coins. That’s why the name in Spanish became slots. And it is true, it can be interpreted as a machine that wants to swallow your coins… but if you hit the jackpot, the slot machine is you!