Slot Machines and Their Ups and Downs throughout the History
For most online and land-based casinos, slot machines bring in between 60% and 70% of the revenue. Even though Internet gambling is not officially approved in a huge number of US states and some other parts of the world, still they are the number one choice for most punters, both newbies, and regulars.
What made slots a number one favorite category all over the globe, both in brick and mortar as well as in online facilities?
It’s an interesting combination of flashy graphics, numerous features, dynamic stories, but also the opportunity to grab juicy prizes without the need to learn a bunch of strategies. Any hand can be a massive fixed JP or an even larger progressive jackpot, and there are so many other rewards as well.
If you are curious to learn more about slots, keep reading!
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Journey through History
A fruit machine, puggy, pokies, one-armed bandit or simply slot, was initially developed in 1891. This predecessor of a modern machine was manufactured by Sittman and Pitt of Brooklyn, New York.
It featured five drums holding a total of 50 card faces based on poker. Players would insert a nickel and pull a lever, to spin the drums and the cards they held. Payouts and prizes depended on the local establishments but were mostly in forms of complimentary drinks or cigars.
Due to the vast number of possible wins with the original poker card game…
…it was almost impossible to find a way to make a machine capable of making an automatic payout for all possible winning combos. Between 1887 and 1895, Charles Fey of San Francisco, California, designed a much simpler automatic mechanism with three spinning reels hosting a total of five symbols. Those were horseshoes, diamonds, spades, hearts, and a Liberty Bell, which was selected as the name for that first machine.
A more effective payout mechanism was created by reducing the initial complex structure. The Liberty Bell machine was so popular that it was copied by many slot machine manufacturers. One of the first replicas, also called the “Liberty Bell”, was produced by Herbert Mills in 1907, and the very next year it was installed in most cigar stores, saloons, bowling alleys, barbershops, etc.
Following the rapid expansion and growth, another version was tailored featuring patriotic symbols such as a flag and a wreath on the wheels. Later, a similar machine “Operator’s Bell” appeared with an optional gum vending attachment available. As the gum offered was fruit-flavored, fruit symbols were placed on the reels: lemons, cherries, oranges, and plums. (That’s why slots are still called fruities.)
In 1963, Bally developed the first fully electromechanical slot machine…
…called Money Honey. It was the first model with a bottomless hopper and automatic payout of up to 500 coins without the help of an attendant. The popularity of this machine led to the increasing predominance of electronic games.
The first video slot machine was developed in 1976 in Kearny Mesa, California, by the Las Vegas-based Fortune Coin Co. In 1978, both the company and the technology were purchased by IGT.
Using a modified 19-inch (48 cm) Sony Trinitron color receiver…
…for the display and logic boards for all functions, the prototype was mounted in a full-size show-ready slot machine cabinet. After some “cheat-proofing” modifications, it was greenlighted by the Nevada State Gaming Commission and eventually found popularity in the Las Vegas Strip and downtown casinos.
1996 was another breakthrough year for the development, as the first American video slot machine to offer a “second screen” bonus round was “Reel ’Em In” by WMS Industries. In this type of machine, the display changes to provide a different game where the extra payout may be won or accumulated.
The first online jackpot slot was Cash Splash, launched in 1998 by Microgaming, which provided only moderately high payouts. As for the rest, it belongs to the era we live in, witnessing everyday continuous development of technology which brings numerous innovations such as HTML5 replacing Flash, gamification, and much more.
Ups and Downs with Legalization States-Wide
In September 2006, the U.S. Congress voted into the existence of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Politicians used an underhanded tactic to tack the bill onto the Safe Port Act because such a comprehensive anti-gambling law could never have been passed on its own merits–it had to be combined with a law that almost no politician would have voted against in a midterm election year.
The UIGEA greatly expanded the federal agencies’ ability to prosecute gambling operators, because it expanded the definition of the 1961 Wire Act to include most bet-related money transactions used in online gambling.
Most of the big online casinos…
…such as Ladbrokes, William Hill, and Paddy Poker left the American industry within months. The big UK and European casino software design companies, such as Playtech, Microgaming, Cryptologic, NetEnt, and IGT, also left the American online betting industry.
The period between 2007 and 2013 was marked with more than modest offerings, as there weren’t many developers offering content in this region. Realtime Gaming had its solid network of sites, while Rival Gaming and Topgame Technology built smaller networks, but not all of them had good reputations.
In late 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice announced…
…it was changing its stance on its interpretation of the Wire Act. The new interpretation states the federal authorities have the right to prosecute violations of the Wire Act as it pertains to sports betting, but no other forms of gambling. This opened the door for state governments to license, regulate, and tax casino gaming and poker betting.
In 2012, the State of Delaware decided to legalize online casinos in their state. Delaware has long been considered the most sophisticated legal jurisdiction in the world, due to its long work as the US’s center of corporate law, so it was no surprise this particular state led all others in Internet gaming.
In 2013, following the example of the Diamond State…
…Nevada and New Jersey introduced the laws which would legalize online casinos. This didn’t come as a surprise since these two states have long embraced land-based gaming through their respective gambling capitals, Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
The number of states accepting some forms on Internet gambling is gradually growing, but Utah, for example, has always been devoutly anti-gambling, accepting no forms whatsoever.
Main Differences Between “Offline” and Online SlotsÂ
You see, some hard-core and old-school punters wouldn’t even consider online slots as an option as they may seem overly robotized and “soulless”. The others cannot access them because there are no land-based facilities where they live, while the third group would label the online version as the best thing ever.
Here we shall not discuss…
…which one is more interesting/ better because it’s a matter of a personal choice. We’ll rather break down some major differences so that readers have a basic understanding of what comes with each of the options.
- Transportation– unless you live across a brick and mortar hub, you’ll have to sit in the car and drive all the way to the nearest one, which can sometimes be rather far away, in another city. With online entertainment, such a thing doesn’t exist, you’ll only have to make up your mind between desktop or mobile device, a chair or sofa, and the game may begin.
- Atmosphere- Some people visit brick and mortar hubs not only for playing games but for a very specific atmosphere as well. They find it particularly interesting being surrounded by other players, dressed fancily, with expensive drinks in their hands. The others prefer being all by themselves, and in a more casual setting, such is their own home.
- Organization of time– When paying a visit to a terrestrial establishment, it’s like you are organizing a small journey, and when you get there, the entire stay is more or less dedicated to playing games. With the online option, there’s a higher level of flexibility, where you can take breaks whenever you want to grab some sandwich, watch your favorite TV show, and so on.
- Payment methods– While the land-based industry mainly gravitates around cash, Internet gaming has more options, such as credit cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies. However, do note that not all of them are available in all parts of the world, it depends on location and local laws.
- Selection of games– Terrestrial facilities are limited to the number of machines they have, and yes, some Las Vegas venues have more than 2,800 one armed-bandits. Yes, that is impressive, but an online casino may have like three or four times more than that, there are no limits. The more deals with content suppliers, the bigger and more diversified catalog is in terms of design, themes and all.
- Demo mode– This is probably one of the crucial differences between these two variants. You cannot just walk into a casino saying “Hello, would you be so kind to let me spin a while but I have no cash with me now? You see, I just wanna practice, that’ all!” You’d be kicked out immediately. On the other hand, practice mode is quite common in online parlors, and you can try as many games as you like.
The Ultimate Strategy for Slot MachinesÂ
As with any other game, there are so many theories, strategies, common myths, and people are tireless in brainstorming more and more ways trying to grab more cash, more prizes.
Players like to talk about hot and cold slots…
…categorizing them as those who have a higher frequency of winning, and those seen as inactive. However, it’s the RNG that determines this, not a silly superstition, so there are equal chances to have like two JPs in a row, or 100s of dead spins- that’s all part of the randomness.
Then, there are features, some of which more the others less rewarding, and they also dictate the course of the game. Jackpots and progressive JPs are among the most vital ones. Let’s not forget RTP, as an inevitable part of defining how “generous” a game will be.
How about Martingale strategy, does it work for slots?
In a progressive betting method, like Martingale of Laboucherre, you increase bets by some factor every time you lose a bet. The idea is you’ll eventually have a winning spin, thus paying you back for all your losses and then some additional amount.
While that works great in theory, a losing streak soon has you betting hundreds or thousands of dollars a spin, just in the hopes of winning back your money and a small bonus. So, no, it doesn’t work.
Final ThoughtsÂ
In conclusion, we could only say that the best and proven successful strategy is keeping a close eye on your statistics and trying to organize both your money and time.
Keep a detailed record of winning and losing sessions…
…just as a reminder of how the daily, weekly, and monthly gambling trends look like. Take a break, set the limits if you cannot manage that yourself, and minimize the risk of losing a lot of money in an absent-minded fashion. After all, use the advantage called demo mode to explore some slots at no cost.
All that, plus a basic knowledge on how slots work, will keep things at its right place and maintain gambling what it should essentially be- an entertainment activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to play slots?
As for those "old ones", pulling the lever is all there is, but newer video machines have buttons for various commands. With online slots, things are even simpler, you have digital buttons for all that, and with "Auto-play" the reels spin themselves.
Are online slots legal in the US?
Yes, some states in the US accept online gaming, so punters can select from the featured games. The selection may not be as rich as in some other parts of the world, but still, there’s more than sufficient amount to choose from.
Where does the name slot come from?
The "slot machine" term derives from the slots (gaps/holes) on the machine for inserting and retrieving coins.
What is a random Jackpot in slots?
A random slots jackpot is one that can be hit on any spin, regardless of the bet. There’s a chance to trigger a progressive one as well.
Which types of slots features are there?
The most commonly seen are Wild and Scatter, but there are also multipliers, expanding symbols, cascading reels, Megaways mechanics, mini-games, and much more.
Can a player beat online slots?
There’s no strict guarantee that one will walk away with loads of cash, however, if one plays those with better RTP, chances are higher.
Are online slots rigged?
This is one of the biggest fears of all punters who prefer internet gambling, but be sure that not all the casinos will risk their reputation to rip off players. That’s why it’s important to play in licensed venues and choose games from approved studios.
