Whether you regularly play slot machines or not, there are probably several facts that you are unaware of. So, here are seven slots facts that are sure to surprise you.
1. Different countries have different names for slot machines
Now that slot games are widely available online at web-based casinos and platforms like ManySpins, most people around the world know the slot game by that name. But different countries still have their own preferred terms for slot machines. The term “slot” or “slot machine” is most commonly used in the United States, Canada, and much of Europe. But in the United Kingdom, slot machines are called fruit machines, referring to the games’ fruit symbols. And in Scotland, the machine is known as a puggy. Meanwhile, in Australia, slots are known as “pokies,” which is an abbreviation for “poker machines.”
2. The precursor to the slot machine dates back to the 19th century
The precursor to the slot machine was developed 130 years ago in 1891. New Yorkers Sittman and Pitt created a gambling machine that consisted of five drums. The game was based on poker. Each drum held a total of 50 playing card faces. People would insert a nickel and pull the lever, which spun the drums to receive a poker hand. There was no direct payout mechanism, so prizes for a winning poker hand were things like beer and cigars, as most slot machines were in bars at the time.
3. The Liberty Bell was the first proper slot machine
The problem with a poker-based game was it proved almost impossible to award an automatic payout for all winning combinations. But between 1887 and 1895, Charles Fey from San Francisco developed a much simpler automation mechanism. It had three spinning reels that contained a total of five symbols. They were: horseshoes, spades, diamonds, hearts, and a Liberty Bell. It was not long before the gaming machine became known as the Liberty Bell and was widely played in establishments throughout the US.
4. Money honey was the first fully electromechanical slot machine
The first fully electromechanical slot machine, called Money Honey, was developed by the American company Bally in 1963. It was the first slot to have an automatic payout of up to 500 coins.
5. Video slot machines were developed in the 1970s
The slot machine went through another evolutionary step in 1976 when the Las Vegas company Fortune Coin Co. developed the first video slot. The machine used a Sony Trinitron colour receiver for all of the slot machine functions.
6. Slot games have more bonus rounds than you might think
If you already play modern slot games, you will probably know that many come with bonus rounds. But you may not know just how many different types of bonus rounds are available from various slot games. Indeed, the bonus game is a relatively new addition to the slot. The first-ever slot game bonus round appeared in WMS Industries’ Reel ‘Em slot of 1996. Today, the most common types of bonus rounds are:
· Wheels, where you spin a wheel to determine your prize.
· Board games, which involve moving around a board to win bonus payouts.
· First-person shooters, in which you move a cursor to shoot objects and win prizes.
7. You Can Potentially Win Big Jackpots Playing Slot Games
If you think you cannot win as much playing slot machines as skill-based casino games, you need to think again. The biggest ever slot machine jackpot was won at the Las Vegas Excalibur casino in 2003 by a 25-year-old software engineer. In the slot game Megabucks, he inserted $100 and won a staggering jackpot of $39.7 million.
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