Slots history is fascinating. Even if you’re not a particularly big fan of the one armed bandits (more on that term later), it’s incredible to learn about how these machines evolved into the casino staples we know today.
Before you take this all in, you might want to brush up on your slots ABCs. And afterwards, we’re sure you’re going to want to play a few slots games for yourself. There are great options online, including at bet365. If you’re new to the site, don’t forget this bet365 bonus code.
1. Slots history starts in New York
That’s right, slots are New Yorkers at heart! Way back in the 1800s, bars in New York City started introducing these machines to their bars to entertain the punters.
2. The first slots were based on poker hands
These first slot machines were far from the world of wilds and scatters we’ve got now. Instead, they were based on poker! They had five drums, 50 playing cards and a lever. Your job is the pull the lever. Then if you got a good poker hand, you’d get a prize.
3. One-armed bandit dates back to the very start
Speaking of the lever, oftentimes this was referred to as an arm. And when people thought the machine was rigged, they’d say it was like a bandit that stole their cash. Hence the term, one-armed bandit.
4. Early prizes were drinks and cigars, not cash
This prize didn’t shoot out from the machine itself, oh no. The bartender would give it out to you. Unlike modern slots, these prizes were often drinks or cigars. Only very occasionally would a prize be cash.
5. Mass production starts in 1891
At the beginning, these machines were pretty much DIY affairs. But after the craze really caught on, business men decided they should start making money off of them. From 1891, mass produced slots machines came into reality for the first time thanks to a company called Sittman and Pitt.
6. Automatic cash prizes, symbols and reels all come at once
Charles Augustus Fey is the next big name in the story of slots. Somewhere between 1887 and 1895, he ditched the cards and drums in favour of reels and symbols. By using those, suddenly, it became possible to automate cash payouts.
What symbols did he use? Ones we still associate with slots today, including the card suits plus horseshoes and bells. In fact, his slot machine was called the Liberty Bell.
7. Random combinations dictated by a spring
As this is a heck of a long time before Random Number Generators, more manual methods were needed. The lever would stretch a spring across the reels, making them spin fast at first and then slow down. This is the kind of look even virtual slots aim to reproduce.
8. Slots history almost ends in 1902
The first major hiccough in the world of slots is when they were made illegal in 1902. However, where there’s a slot, there’s a way…
9. Fruit machines were the novel legal getaround
No longer legally allowed to dish out cash prizes, slots manufacturers came up with a novel solution. They created machines with fruit symbols. Then winners would get sweets as prizes, instead of cash. And, coincidentally, that’s also where the nickname fruit machines comes from.
10. Slots history gets electrified in 1964
If you know anything about the history of Las Vegas, you know that they always want to be ahead of the curve. In 1964, Bally Casino did just that when Money Honey came to the floor.
The world’s first electric machine, it had a max payout of 500 coins. Unheard of in those days. This was the beginning of the end for the lever and more and more slots games went electric.
11. Video slots roll into town in 1976
The following decade sees yet another innovation in Las Vegas. This time the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel was the venue for the next big slot innovation. For the first time, players could play slots via video. This was originally on a 19-inch TV screen and it thrilled punters.
Interested in reading more gaming history?
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