Slot machines have only been around for just over one hundred years but in this time they have gone through many changes. You can discover more about the evolution of these machines at the previous link. One thing that has stood the test of time is how popular these machines are. They remain some of the most frequently played games in both online and land based casinos. The history of slot machines can be divided into several distinct stages.
The First Machines
Charles Augustus Fey is often recognised as the inventor of the slot machine, although there were some models in use before he started producing his machines. Fey’s models were different from previous machines because they paid out money rather than tickets which could be exchanged at the bar. His most famous machine was known as the Liberty Bell because the highest payout was made for matching three bell symbols. During this time many other companies began to produce their own machines as Fey neglected to file a patent for the machine that he had designed.
Fruit Machines
During the time that slot machines were banned in the US, fruit machines rose in popularity. These machines had pictures of fruit on the reels which need to match up in order for the player to win. As these machines were not allowed to pay out actual money, players would win sweets that corresponded to the type of fruit they had matched up on the reels.
Electromechanical Slots
The first electromechanical slots were introduced in the 1960s and these machines had reels that were operated solely by electricity. However, this operation was still started by pulling down the lever at the side of the machine. A bottomless hopper was also introduced so that larger payouts of up to 500 coins could be made. As time went on and more machines began to be produced, the lever was phased out in favor of a button on the front of the machine that players could press in order to spin the reels.
Video Slots
The first video slots were introduced in the late 1970’s. One of the first models used a television screen that had been modified in place of a monitor. It was after this type of machine was developed that slot machines really began to rise in popularity in casinos. Once video slots were introduced, companies had a lot more flexibility when choosing the theme of the game.
Online Slots
When the internet started to become more widely used in the 1990’s, online slots became more and more popular. Most of these games were played at online casinos. Playing online gave people the convenience to play slot machines whenever they wanted which is one reason why they began to be played by an increasing number of people. The jackpots when playing on online slots were also considerably higher and this helped attract even more new players.
The Future
Slot machines in land based casinos have not really undergone any significant changes in recent years. All the major developments have been made in online slots and this is a trend that is likely to continue. In the future we are likely to see more people accessing slots from their mobile phones and tablets than from their computer. The use of virtual reality headsets will also help people to become more immersed in the slot machine that they are playing as it can help them to feel as they are really there in the casino.
With slot machines already experiencing so much change in a relatively short time, there is much anticipation about what the future will bring. For a comprehensive list of where to play the very latest slots online you can visit casinos.co who update this list on a regular basis.
