Slot games are a familiar indulgent for anyone who has visited a casino. These casino games are the flashiest and most provided games in online and offline gambling dens to meet a demand higher than any other category. Pokies have existed since the 19th century, and over time, they have evolved to become the enticing titles they are today. The article traces back pokies to their roots up until their domination of gambling today.
The Dawn of Slots
The first-ever appearance of a slot machine or something close to it was 1891 when Sittman and Pitt first released it. The New York-based company created devices that are more similar to modern-day video poker machines. Nevertheless, they are vital in the invention of pokies. The original creation featured five drums that were fitted with fifty cards. The jack of hearts and tens of spades were omitted from the poker decks used in the games. This omission reduces the chances of landing a royal flush by half, which gives the house the advantage.
The Sittman and Pitt slot games granted winnings when a poker hand was landed on the five drums. The machines accepted stakes of a penny, and the coins were inserted to the side. The gambler then had to pull a lever that would spin the drums and reveal a random hand. However, the games did not have a payout mechanism that allowed punters to collect winnings immediately they were landed. Usually, lucky rounds were rewarded at the bar with free drinks, food, cigars, and other tokens aside from money.
The Liberty Bell
Most gamblers assume that slot games originated from the Liberty Bell. It is not clear when this machine was invented, but it was somewhere between 1887 and 1895. Charles Fey was the inventor behind this device, and he is famously known as the father of pokie machines. Charles made some changes to this game, which makes it more similar to the slots available today than the devices produced by Sittman and Pitt. Some of the alterations made to this game included;
- Three reels in the place of five drums to hold the symbols
- Five characters replaced the poker face cards, and they are hearts, spades, diamonds, horseshoes, and a liberty bell
- Automatic payouts that allowed winnings to be granted from the machine rather than the bar
These slots awarded winnings when three similar icons landed on the single payline that cut across the grid. The liberty bell was the most valuable of all symbols, which earned the pokies their name. Charles failed to patent his invention, which led to many companies adopting the design and making it more popular with the masses.
Real Money Ban
Slot producers encountered a significant hiccup in 1902 when the United States placed a ban on real money slots. These machines were barred from offering cash winnings, which almost spelt the end for the games. However, gaming companies got around this law by creating fruit machines. These machines replaced the five icons in the Liberty Bell with fruit symbols like watermelons, lemons, oranges, cherries, grapes, and plums. Punters were still required to place real money bets, but any winnings landed were awarded in the form of candy. The offered sweets corresponded with the flavour of the symbols that activated the win.
Herbert Mills dominated the fruit machine era and popularized the games in salons, bowling alleys, and shops. During this time, the BAR symbol also became popular in pokies. The character represented the Bell-Fruit firm’s logo, which was also successful in producing the machines. The ban on real money winnings in slot games was lifted in 1908. Nonetheless, fruit machines remain a popular theme to date, although candy winnings have since been dropped.
The Electromechanical Pokie
For a long time after their invention, slot machines run mechanically using a lever to the side that run the spins. When players would pull the lever, it would stretch a spring attached to it, sending the reels spinning. As the spring resumed to its original state, the playtable would slow to a halt. This form of gameplay earned the pokies the nickname “one-armed bandits”.
Nothing too grand happened to the evolution of slot machines until 1964 when Bally technologies changed the game with an electromechanical device. The slot machine ran on electricity, but the lever was retained for gameplay. The pokie provider argued that removing this feature would make the game too unfamiliar to players. However, the spring and other mechanical parts were removed. The slot had real money wins of up to 500 coins. Other game providers followed suit, and soon, casino floors were covered with electromechanical pokies with buttons instead of a lever.
The Rise of Video Slots
1976 was the next big year for slot lovers as Fortune Coin released the first-ever video slot. The Las Vegas company created the pokie for the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel exclusively. It was presented on a 19-inch Sony television. After the game was unveiled, it was taken through a handful of modifications to ensure that it was cheat-proof. It finally got the Nevada State Gaming Commission’s approval and was mass-produced for other establishments on the Strip. IGT later purchased Fortune Coin and exploited their new venture to create many more video slots.
The Online Takeover
The invention of the internet in 1994 shifted a lot of industries, including that of gambling. Microgaming was the first-ever gaming company to offer online gambling services and open the first online casino. The gambling dens first focused on providing classic sets like roulette and blackjack before providing slot games. Pokies soon dominated as the most popular of all casino games. These games were not as widely accessible as those in location-based gaming clubs, and it took time before people could trust them as legitimate sets. In 1996, WMS released the first pokie with a second-screen bonus dubbed Reel ‘Em, which formed the foundation for popular incentives like free spins, gamble features, and picking rounds.
The Bottom Line
Online slots currently boast the most popularity among players and casinos. For gamblers, pokies are a relaxing way to chase big wins with no skill requirements. These games are also moneymakers for casinos and account for about 70% of the casinos’ revenue generation.
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