In North America, specifically in New York City, the first slot machine was invented. It was designed to play poker. It was created by two New Yorkers, Sittman and Pete. It happened in 1891.
The first slot machine had five reels. The developers stuck poker cards on its edges. To try their luck, the player had to drop a coin into the machine and pull the handle. After that, one had to wait for the reels to spin.
At the end of the XIX century there was no direct payout system. Therefore, a player would win a mug of beer or some tobacco product. Rewards were given at the bar of the establishment.
Charles Fay is the inventor who invented modern slot machines
Four years after the first slot machine, Charles Fayne developed a more advanced model of the device. It immediately became popular among players. The developer called it Liberty Bell. In Russian, the phrase is translated as the bell of destiny.
Slot machine Charles distinguished by the presence of only three reels, each of which was depicted dozens of different characters, including bells, horseshoes and suits of cards. In order to win a certain amount of money, the player had to spin the reels. After that, he had to hope that they stop on the specific characters that make the right combination on the paylines.
The slot machine with three reels was invented in 1895. Charles Fey himself was a German. However, since 1885, he lived in America. His home was in California.
As a young inventor, when he was 19 years old, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Doctors predicted that the young man had no more than a year to live. But Charles did not die. He lived for many more years and during this time he managed to become a popular figure in the gaming business.
Slot machines from the 1930s to the 1950s
In the early twentieth century, and more specifically in the first third of that century, the mechanism and design of slot machines underwent significant changes. After the modernisation, slot machines introduced double winnings. Previously, players were notified of their winnings by a bell. Now it did not reach them. At the same time, the new design of slot machines both delighted and amused players.
The popularity of slot machines increased significantly in the 1940s. During this period, their luck was tested on the slot machines and men, and women. They spent all their free time gambling on slot machines. And the gamblers couldn’t stop. Due to the large number of gamblers, one-armed bandits became a real goldmine for casino and bar owners.
In the 1950s, electromechanical slot machines appeared. These slot machines are characterized by high power. Its value up to 5 horsepower. Increased power was achieved by installing new engines in the “one-armed bandits”.
Improved slot machines of the 1950s featured 8 reels. They were depicted 20 characters. These slot machines accepted large banknotes. The widespread “one-armed bandits” with an electromechanism was in the 1960s.
Video slot machines
Experts in the field of gaming business believe that the time of new slot machines started with 80-ies of the XX century. During this period it was possible to play video poker. The game was developed thanks to computer technology. Such a slot machine selected numbers 100% at random. After a while, a service became available, money acceptance and the payout of winnings appeared.