Slots

Slot machines are everywhere - in pubs, in discos, and of course, more and more, in casinos. What could be more fun than sitting opposite a one-armed bandit, pumping in your coins and watching those magic fruit loops spinning round and around? 

The first slot machine was created over a hundred years ago by a Mr. Charles Fey of San Francisco, California. Fey's design was based on an invention created by two other fellow Americans, Messrs. Sittman and Pitt, who had devised a gambling machine a few years before Charles Fey. However, the first device simply gave the winner a free beer at the bar, while Fey's actually paid out real cash.

Casino slot machines have come a long way since Fey's invention, and now offer many extra features that he would never have imagined. Electronic versions of the first mechanical machines provide countless variations on the theme with accumulating jackpots, nudge features, and multiple line betting. However, all still stick to the principle of one token per game. Slot in your coin (or nowadays even a note, or credit card), pull the handle (or push the button), and see what Lady Luck has in store.

Adding to the game variations is an explosion of different game themes. Traditionally, slot machines showed card symbols with the addition of the familiar bar or bell symbols. These are connected historically to the early machines invented by Fey and his associates. Later machines used fruit symbols as a popular alternative, but modern machine makers have selected themes with weird and wacky symbols and shapes to pop stars and video games. In fact, a new synthesis of slot machine and casino card games has produced the video poker and blackjack machines, which have proved exceptionally popular among land-based and online casino game players.