Slot Machine History
Believe it or not, slot machines actually have a very long and interesting history. In fact, the invention of the first slot machine has been credited to Sittman and Pitt from Brooklyn, NY, who developed a unique gambling machine in 1891. Although slot machines have changed quite a bit since this original design, Sittman and Pitt were truly on to something when they developed this little machine.
Pitt and Sittman’s Slot Machine
The original slot machine design that was developed by Pitt and Sittman contained 5 separate drums, with each holding 50 card faces. The card faces and the goals associated with the slot machine were based on games of poker and did not take long to become extremely popular in the bars. In fact, most bars had at least one slot machine inside.
In order to play the slot machines, players would insert a nickel and then pull the lever, very much like modern day slots. The drums would then spin and reveal a hand. If the player got a good poker hand, he or she would then receive a prize from the bar. Unlike modern slot machines that pay out directly from the machine, the player had to redeem the prize through the bar. The prizes and the hands needed to win these prizes were determined by the bar, but may have included winning a free beer or winning free cigars.
The bar owners weren’t exactly fair when it came to these slot machines. In fact, many of the slot machines were missing the ten of spades and the jack of hearts in order to reduce the odds of getting a Royal Flush in half. The drums in the slot machines were also re-arranged in certain was in order to make it less likely that a player would win.
The One-Armed Bandit Slot Machine Arrives on the Scene
Although Pitt and Sittman are credited with inventing the machine that has led to the modern day slot machine, Charles Fey from San Francisco, Ca actually invented his “one-armed bandit” four years earlier. In 1887, Fey created a machine that contained on three spinning reels. Each of these reels had five symbols, these being a diamond, a horseshoe, a spade, a Liberty Bell, and a heart. This design made it much easier to read a win, because there were only five symbols rather than ten cards and three drums rather than five. This machine also paid out directly, with three bells giving a pay off of ten nickels. This machine was also a huge success and is credited for helping to spur off America’s passion for mechanical gaming. The demand for these machines was so high that Fey struggled with keeping up with his orders.
Slot Machines Go High Tech
It would be many years before the slot machine would change much from the original designs. In fact, it wasn’t until 1996 that the first video slot machine was introduced. Today, old-fashioned slots and video slot machines can be found all over the world – and they are still in great demand!
Along the same lines as high tech slots you can play internet video poker. Players should also check out video poker online for the very best in video poker strategy as well as finding the best online casinos.
