Who Invented Slot Machines

Gambling is the most popular type of leisure activity. And when it gives excitement and brings you profit, it becomes a lifestyle for many. Almost every player dreams of winning a large sum of money, so he goes to the casino to try his luck.

Today there is a huge number of gambling games. They comprise roulette, blackjack, poker, and the famous one-armed bandit. It was the latter that became the prototype of slot machines, the most popular type of gambling today, which attracts with its simplicity, variety and high probability of winning. To get a better understanding of the phenomenon of slot machines, let’s delve into history and tell you who invented the first slot machine and gave the world this ideal way of entertainment.

Miracle Invention

It all began in the 80s of the 19th century, when two Americans, Sittmann and Pitt, invented a machine with five reels, which was launched like a game with coins thrown into it and a special lever. A pair of identical cards dropped out was considered a win, but the prototype machine was not capable of giving a reward. Instead of money, the player received from the bartender a glass of beer or other treat that was in the assortment of the institution.

The machine gained popularity very quickly, and soon many retail establishments, bars and food outlets installed such machines at their venues in order to attract visitors and increase sales. This is how the history of slot machines began.

A device that rewards the player with money for a successful combination of symbols appeared a little later. The author of the miracle technology was a German mechanic Charles Fey from California. Simple yet automated, it contained reels and symbols. Among the five symbols – diamonds, horseshoes, hearts and spades – there was a bell depicting the famous Liberty Bell, which is a symbol of American independence.

In honor of it, they gave such a name to the slot machine and, apparently, not in vain – the slot has become as eternal as the attribute of American freedom. When three Bell symbols fell out, the player received a jackpot in the amount of 10 five-cent coins (nickels). The novelty became so popular that it spread at a phenomenal speed.

Ban is not Death

So when were slot machines invented? The time has passed very quickly. Every year gambling became more and more accessible, and slot machines are a common phenomenon not only in casinos, but also in bars, restaurants and other entertainment establishments. The times when slot machines were invented and spread around the world were great for players and merchants. For the first, the game gave excitement, and sometimes a win, and for the second – an increase in sales of goods and services. However, the state treasury did not profit from the massive “game” that dealt with millions of coins.

The absence of a law allowing tax to be levied on the prize received led the US authorities to the decision to ban gambling. This happened in 1902, but this did not “kill” the “one-armed bandits”. Slot machine history received an unexpected continuation.

The machines were slightly altered, leaving the idea of rewarding with money. The traditional symbols were replaced by images of fruit and Bar symbols, and the prize was given out with the chewing gum with fruit flavors. The devices continued to be installed in shops, bars, and tobacco shops.

To be Continued

When was the first slot machine invented? More than 120 years have passed since then. Slots have long ceased to be mechanical, they have acquired many new forms and types of games, and thanks to this, even greater popularity. Online casinos, which appeared in 1995, brought a new wave of the gaming boom. Many players have begun to give preference to playing on the Internet, and slots bring about 70% of all income to online casinos.