Fruit machines, also known as slot machines in England, are a famous invention that has been around for more than 100 years. Because of their thrill to players, slot machines are a popular choice. There is always a chance to win the life-changing jackpot with each pull. Charles Fey, a German immigrant and mechanic who lived in San Francisco in 1899, invented the first slot machine. Online and land-based casino slot machines have descended from the original Liberty Bell machine.
Three spinning reels made up the Liberty Bell slot machine. Each spin featured the symbols of a Liberty Bell, including the images of a broken Liberty Bell and the spade, heart, and diamond symbols. The biggest payout was a spin that produced three Liberty Bells consecutively. This paid out a total of fifty cents or ten pennies. In those days, it was simple to calculate odds. There were only three reels and ten possible stops. This gives you the following odds: 10X10X10 = 1000 combinations. Only one of these combinations resulted in the big jackpot.
Slot machines were outlawed in many states in 1902. Charles Fey had to think outside the box. Charles Fey changed the symbols of his devices and began offering gum, candy, and drinks as prizes. Owners of machines with already-outs redecorated them with images of gum and fruits instead of card suits. The ubiquitous cherry has remained on slot machines through the ages. The sticks of gum became the bars you see today on many standard devices.
In casinos, slot machines weren’t top-rated until the 1970s. Older devices had fewer stops and a lower chance of winning a jackpot.
Bally, a pinball machine manufacturer, created a new machine with electronic and mechanical parts. Newer engines allowed for larger bets and more enormous payoffs. This made machines more profitable.
In the 1980s, the random number generator was popularized, and everything changed. The random number generator simulates the spinning reels using a computer program. This revolutionized the face of casinos. Because the computer program powered them instead of a mechanism, the reels could have been larger than actual reels. Because the spin button activated the random numbers generator program, the spin arms were no longer necessary. The machines paid out a predetermined percentage.
Thanks to the new technology, machine manufacturers can now produce almost unlimited entertaining and attractive slot games. Nowadays, slot machines take up more than 80% of casinos’ floor space. This is eye candy at its best, and gamblers love it.