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Written by: Filip Gromovic Reviewed by: Nashon Khamala

Read time: 15 minutes

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New punters quickly fall in love with slot machines, and one of the many questions usually on their mind is when were slot machines invented and why did they become so popular? It may surprise you to know that this spinning reel game was brought to life over 130 years ago.

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Origin of Slot Machines

The first time that the word «slot machine» was used in the 1880s, it was coined to describe vending machines. Buyers would toss a nickel into a coin slot and would receive a product of their choice in exchange. By 1891, Sittman and Pitt, based in New York, created a machine with 50 playing cards and five drums.

Just like the vending machine, players also had to insert a nickel coin to play. Therefore, they were also called slot machines. Several posts about who invented the slot machine usually omit this information and rather start with Charles Fey’s Liberty Bell. The popularity of the Sittman and Pitt machine grew in the gambling world over the years because of its simplicity and novelty.

Players only had to pull a mechanical lever for the odds of winning poker symbols on the reels. To increase the house edge and lower a player’s chances of winning, the jack of hearts and ten of spades were removed.

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Charles Fey’s Liberty Bell

When questions about when was the first slot machine invented arise, the fingers usually point to Charles August Fey’s Liberty Bell. The American inventor with German ancestry (specifically Bavarian) is credited with creating the first proper slot machines.

As they say, one success inspires another. Fey’s contraption was a massive success, so he built another called the 4-11-44. That one also blew up because he started a full-time factory solely for the production of these devices. In 1989, he created the groundbreaking Card Bell. It was the first three reels classic slot.

In the past, these gaming devices lacked an automatic payout system. Therefore, players had to visit the bar to get their winnings – mostly non-monetary. The Card Bell solved this problem by including an automated cash payout system. This started a new era of real money win at slots, rather than getting gifts.

The Liberty Bell was revolutionary and built on previous design iterations. It featured hearts, spades, diamonds and an image of cracked Liberty Bell symbols painted on the reels. The cracked bell led to the biggest payout, and landing three of them in one spin rewarded players with ten nickels or fifty cents.

This machine continues to exist at the Liberty Belle Saloon & Restaurant in Reno, Nevada. Continued hard work and innovation in this space birthed variations of the gaming device in the coming years and solidified the foundation for modern-day machines.

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Early 1900s Development

The man who invented the slot machine continued making iterations to his designs in the 1900s, as well as creating other masterpieces for other gambling games. For example, he invented the first draw poker machine in 1901 as well as the trade check separator, which featured in Liberty Bell. This device had a hole in the middle that helped to distinguish real nickels from fakes.

Other companies started making various types of slots, mostly drawing inspiration from Liberty Bell – which some considered mere knockoffs. One of the famous designs to find success was the Operator Bell created by Herbert Mills in 1902, a manufacturer based in Chicago at that time. By 1908, the device could be found in most salons, shops and bowling alleys. Another innovation in Mills’ version was the introduction of fruit symbols, including cherries, lemons, and plums. This was what inspired many to call it fruit machines.

The bar symbol was added around 1910 and was initially a variation of the logo of the Bell-Fruit Gum Company. The first true jackpot slot was developed by Mills Novelty Company. They found a way to purge all the coins in the machine with certain reel combinations.

Another reason why other manufacturers replaced the poker-style symbols that featured on Liberty Bells in favor of fruits and other symbols was to circumvent the restrictions on slot machines, which were spreading across many states. Fast-forward to 1951, and Nevada was the only state where gamblers could spend time and money on slots.

Rise of Video Slots

The truth is that a lot of new gamblers will never know what it felt like playing the earlier versions of the slot machine. Therefore, most of those asking when was the slot machine invented are referring to video slots – the version that has made it to this generation. The first fully electronic reel game was released in 1964 by The Bally Manufacturing Co. The invention was called Money Honey.

The Money Honey still retained the lever found in the classic games. Players still had to pull the lever to start playing. However, the gaming experience was entirely electrically driven. The Money Honey can be considered the link between the old slots and the modern video slots. Punters will be grateful that the transition was gradual, so they don’t have to make one big change, which should have been more difficult for them to catch up.

The Money Honey featured a bottomless hopper, allowing it to pay out up to 500 coins, a feat that was not previously possible. With time, manufacturers phased out the mechanical lever and replaced it with buttons. In this new generation of games, players must push the button to start the game.

The next step in the evolution of playing slots was the Fortune Coin created in 1976 company that was based in Kearny Mesa, California. The company used a modified Sony television for the display. This new generation of video slots was first spotted in the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel.

Eventually, it received approval from the Nevada State Gaming Commission to be used across the entire state – after modifications were made to protect the device from cheaters. It quickly spread across the state and could be found all over the strip. This device also ushered in a new era of advanced graphics.

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Casinos Where You Can Try Video Slots

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Progressive Jackpots Era

If you have read this far, you already know when was the slot machine invented. However, the innovation around this highly loved gambling game did not stop. The first progressive slots, Megabucks, made it to large casinos in 1986. It was the brainchild of International Game Technology (IGT). Instead of having a fixed amount that a player can win, this new device features a mechanism where the winnings rise each time a player does not hit the jackpot. This mechanic allowed the size of the pot to increase over time.

This was a new experience for gamblers, and the prospects of a swelling pot with no limit further propelled the popularity of the game and attracted new players. The following year after its introduction, one lucky punter put their name in the history books by hitting the first progressive jackpot worth $4,988,842.17.

At this point, you are probably wondering when were slot machines invented with bonus rounds, free spins, and all the other cool features. That happened in the 1990s. A company called WMS Industries Inc. unveiled «Reel ’Em» in 1996. This was another important moment in the history of playing slot.

Reel ’Em was the first video slot that offered a bonus round, which was displayed on a second screen. In other words, the bonus game was played on an entirely different screen. This made it easy to differentiate the main game from the bonus. Gradually, wild symbols and free spins came into the picture. These features excited players and drew in more fans.

Transition to Digital Slots

Fey who invented slot machines, likely didn’t anticipate that the game would be so popular that it would one day be playable in the hands of gamblers, eliminating the need to visit a physical building every time you want to have a nice time. By the dawn of the 1990s, online casinos had started to spring up, marking a new era for slot machines. It wasn’t long before the classic slot became online slot.

While other milestones in the evolution of these arcade-like machines have been warmly received, it wasn’t so rosy for the digital era. Lots of gamblers and regulators were skeptical about the fairness and safety of this new type of gambling. Authorities were particularly concerned that it would encourage illegal activities, including money laundering.

The opposition from gamblers came from those who thought the online version could never deliver the same experience as walking into a traditional casino to play physical games.

Unlike the straightforward record of who invented slot machines, the record on when the first online casino was created remains fuzzy. There is no concrete evidence as to the name of the casino, which makes it hard to tell if it is still operating today. However, records show that Microgaming and Cryptologic formed what appears to be the first major partnership that created the biggest online casino in history.

The first game that emerged from that partnership was called Cash Splash by Microgaming. The game continues to get better with every new release. Software developers leverage new technologies to make the experience more immersive.

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Why Slots Remain Popular

Even though it has been over a century when was the first slot machine invented, its popularity has continued to grow – not minding that it has evolved so much from what it was when it first launched. There are different types today, including those with multi payline (popularly called Megaways) running into thousands. Ask different gamblers and you will likely get different reasons why they love slots. Here are some of the reasons why this game has remained popular for over 100 years.

Simplicity

Anyone can launch the best slots today and start playing, even without having prior knowledge of the game or reading the rules. That’s how simple it is to play. All you need to do as a punter is set your bet and push the button and the reels start rolling. Therefore, it is not surprising that new punters start their gambling journey here.

Budget

It is possible to play slots for as low as $1 – and even lower on some titles. This makes the game friendly to gamblers with a very slim budget who still want to enjoy the thrill of winning. The prospect of winning much money with a little investment is another reason why its popularity has blown up over recent decades.

Jackpot Wins

Although it took many years after when was the slot machine invented before the introduction of jackpot titles, it was a game changer that helped to draw more players in. Lucky punters have won six figures from just spinning reels. In 2003, a lucky punter playing at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas won $39.7 million on IGT Megabucks, the largest single jackpot win to date. Many fancy the chance to win such a huge amount.

Fairness

The modern video slots make use of a random number generator, which ensures the game remains fair and gives every player an equal chance of winning. It ensures the outcome of every spin is completely random and independent of previous outcomes.

Variety

There are tens of thousands of classic slots and modern varieties to choose from. When you visit online casinos, it is easy to notice that they make up over two-thirds of all the titles in their game library, ensuring there’s a game for everyone.

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Future of Slot Machines

Fey who invented slot machines was limited by technology at that time. Today, technology has evolved tremendously, allowing software developers to bring reel games to more platforms. Studies show that lots of newer gamblers are younger players who are playing online using their mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets.The shift from being stuffed in brick-and-mortar buildings to online allow players in regions where the law permits gambling but who don’t have access to physical buildings to be part of the fun. To retain the appeal of reel games, software developers are innovating with new features. In the future, what slots offer will likely go beyond free spins and wilds to include new mechanics that will make the game more interesting.

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