In the late 19th century, the Liberty Bell slot machine was born, ringing in a gambling revolution that would span over a century. This iconic three-reel, five-symbol machine was the first true slot with an automatic payout system, paving the way for Las Vegas casinos and modern online slots, which can be played using various promotions like Just Casino bonus.
Join me on a journey through time as we explore the history of slot machines – from the San Francisco tinkerer who created the Liberty Bell, to the reel spinners and video slots of today that offer progressive mega-jackpots at the click of a button. Discover how slots evolved from crude gambling contraptions into innovative entertainment powerhouses built on scintillating sights and sounds.
Humble Beginnings: The Liberty Bell Slot Machine
Our story starts in 1895 with Charles Fey, a San Francisco-based mechanic and inventor. Fey created the first true slot machine – the Liberty Bell – in his basement workshop. Built of cast iron, with three spinning reels and five symbols including diamonds, spades, horseshoes, hearts, and the eponymous Liberty Bells, this machine featured a simple automatic payout system.
The Liberty Bell was an elegant device for its time. As reels spun into winning combinations, they would set off an internal mechanism to release coins into the payout tray. No longer did players need to rely on bar owners paying out winnings. The age of mechanical gambling had begun!
As innovative as it was, the Liberty Bell had its quirks. With just 20 potential winning combinations, it could only handle small two-coin bets. But this slot machine proved hugely popular, and Fey had trouble keeping up with demand. Soon, imitators sprouted up, copying Fey’s creation as the Liberty Bell sparked a gambling craze across America.
From Poker Machines to Electromechanical Slots
In the early 20th century, slots took on new forms to get around strict anti-gambling laws. Manufacturers created amusement machines that paid out chewing gum prizes rather than money to skirt these regulations. Known as “poker machines”, they replicated video poker on mechanical reels, establishing the fruit symbols – cherries, oranges, lemons – still common in slots today.
As restrictions eased after World War II, electromechanical slots took center stage in Las Vegas casinos and across the US. These machines had their reels set in motion by electrical impulses rather than mechanical pulls. This allowed game-makers to experiment with exciting features like nudge buttons on the machine’s front panel.
The electromechanical age also saw slots adopt their quintessential traits – pull handles, coin slots, hoppers to collect coins, flashing lights, and chiming bells to entice players. American ingenuity transformed slots into a multi-sensory entertainment spectacle at the heart of the casino floor.
Reel ’Em In: The Video Slot Revolution
In the 1970s, Fortune Coin Co rocked the slots scene by unveiling the first electronic video slot. It used a modified Sony TV set to display virtual reels, foreshadowing the total computerization of slots. But it took over a decade for video slots to catch on. Slow processors and small jackpots failed to impress players used to flashy Vegas slots.
In 1986, Fortune Coin struck jackpot gold with the launch of Megabucks – the first progressive slot machine network. Linking Megabucks slots across Nevada casinos allowed for rapidly-growing progressive jackpots fueled by players’ bets. Just a year later, a software bug triggered a $4 million Megabucks payout, proving that video slots could compete with traditional reel spinners.
The 1990s saw video slots take over casino floors for good. Rapid computing advances enabled fast-paced games with immersive bonus rounds and special effects. And slots shook off their solitary image as casinos added community elements like Wheel of Fortune’s spin-to-win bonus rounds and competitive tournaments between banked machines.
Online Slots: Jackpots Just a Click Away
At the turn of the millennium, play jetx online slots brought convenience and mega-jackpots direct to desktops and mobiles. Internet slots replicate the sights and sounds of Vegas slots in virtual form, adding advantages like instant access, privacy, and low minimum bets appealing to casual players.
Leading online slots also feature pooled progressive jackpots that rapidly eclipse those of land-based slots. The largest to date – Microgaming’s Mega Moolah – has paid out jackpots over $20 million, facilitated by millions of global players contributing to the prize pot.
Online slot innovation continues at a lightning pace. With virtual reality slots, 3D animation, and social gaming features bringing people together, the next frontier may see a return to slot machine’s community arcade roots – but on a global scale.
Over a century since Charles Fey rang in the slots revolution, liberty bells still chime across casinos – but now also on millions of smartphones. From humble beginnings, slots now spin up multi-billion dollar fortunes in gambling meccas like Vegas and Macau. And with online slots opening the slots experience to all, the industry’s next jackpot chapter is still being written.