One-armed bandits, pokies, whatever you want to call them, there is no doubt that the machines most popularly known as slots have ruled gaming floors for over sixty years. The first coin-operated gambling device that used a reel system akin to that in modern slots got invented in the late 1800s. It was the brainchild of New York inventors Sittman and Pitt. Their creation utilized five drums and implemented a poker hand-ranking system to award cigars, drinks, and bubble gum. A few years after their device went mainstream, Bavarian-born engineer Charles Fey simplified their concept by building a three-reel machine that featured automatic cash payouts, one that proved to be a massive hit in saloons across the US.
However, due to gambling still being largely taboo, most of Fey’s machines either got banned or featured no coin slots, remaining primarily novelty items at hospitality venues. That changed when Vegas transformed from a small uneventful desert town to a premium gambling destination in the 1950s. At that time, electromechanical machines with new payout schemes appeared, and this gambling genre exploded in popularity. In the mid-1980s, electronic systems got introduced, and in 1994 online spinners got birthed. Today, games that produce symbol combinations with attached prizes overflow the internet, as everyone is on the lookout for quality progressive games and the best bonus buy slots out there. Below, we explain why these gaming products have persevered for so long and are still gaining momentum.
Casual Gamblers Crave Simplicity
Those new to casino-style entertainment want to play games that quickly tell them if they have won something or not. That is a fact. Newbies are not into learning complicated game strategies or betting systems. They want instant gratification, and slot games provide that because they only require that players press a spin button, providing a result in a second or two. Online titles have a turbo spin function that speeds this process up, and gamblers have the option to pair it up with auto-play, with this combo swiftly running through over fifty spins in a minute. So, slots nowadays not only offer simplicity but swift gaming fun.
Enticing Prizes
Sure, table games like blackjack and baccarat feature lower house edges than most slots, but they cannot produce wins thousands of times a player’s bet. Most slots have max exposure settings that signify that they can yield prizes into several thousands of dollars. Jackpot ones churn out wins in the millions. Megabucks, the premium physical progressive machine, in 2003, gave away a reward of $39 million at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, an industry record. Online, Mega Moolah is the most profitable spinner ever. Its record-win stands at almost $22 million.
Continuous Innovation
For decades slot games only featured a grid comprised of three reels and three rows. However, modern products incorporate novel engines that create symbol combinations not constrained to the standard payline system. There are cluster-play slots, others with changeable reel mechanics, and even games that feature multiple grids per spin. Every year, new slot types get invented as developers continuously tweak how these games can work.
