The world of gambling is not really that big if we take a step back and look at the most popular types of games you can play. During the long history of skill and luck games that one can wager on, the formula of the core games has not really changed that much. Sure, technology improves and brings about new features. There are many modern takes on all of the games we know and love. But they can never really be that different from what the gamblers are accustomed to.
While the classic games like poker, blackjack, and roulette kept most of what they are for decades and centuries, newer games that rely on mechanisation and software change more quickly. And nothing is more widespread that checks these boxes than slot machines. Slot games have evolved constantly since they were first released, but that evolution has still been very kind to them and allowed them to keep what they have always been. If players were to compare the latest online slot release with the very first slot machine though, they would be surprised at how different the two slots were.
In the article ahead we take a look back at the fascinating history of slot machines and try to compare the contemporary models to some of the first ones that we ever got. Comparing the initial model of something so popular is always amazing, so let us dive deeper into the matter and see how these machines managed to keep their soul through decades of small and big changes.
Early years
The early years of slot games may surprise you as they actually first originated back in the nineteenth century thanks to a man named Charles Fay. This man created something that became known as the Liberty Bell slot, which was the earliest known version of what we now depict as a slot game. It was rudimentary by today’s standards but very revolutionary at the time.
It had only one payline and was mechanically operated by a lever. It also did not payout cash but small pieces of food, a commodity that was much harder to come by in large and diverse quantities back then. The Liberty Bell slot soon became popular across both the United States of America and Europe, with other inventors and tech-savvy people making their own versions of the slot game. Developers slowly started incorporating modern technology to the game, reducing the need for a mechanically operated lever and increasing the paylines.
Peak popularity
Slots may have originated at the turn of the century but it was by the mid twentieth century when they really began to experience their peak popularity. A lot of this was down to the technology available at the time which allowed the slot games to be played en masse by people as casinos and was easy enough for them to operate solo. Most importantly, they were already awarding the players with much more than food items.
Slot machines arguably reached their peak popularity in the mid to late sixties thanks to the electric slot machine we know and play today. These slot machines took over the huge resort casinos in Las Vegas, with rows upon rows of these machines used by players who had come to Sin City to try their luck and party away into the night. The stereotypical interpretation of a slot player was down to this time period as the casinos were filled to the brim with people playing them and expecting jackpots to come their way.
These machines were bulky and cumbersome by today’s standards, however they did not require a lever in order to be operated any more. Players could now simply push a button and the reels would spin for them. All they had to do then was wait for the animations to play out and to wait and see if it was their lucky day or not. However, the popularity of slot machines would not last forever.
As slot games slowly started to evolve, so did the public’s taste. While slot games have always remained a relatively popular choice for any type of gambler, they have yet to reach the peak popularity that they experienced throughout the sixties again. They probably never will because nowadays there is so much else to do. The technology is too diverse for only a single source of fun to take over like that ever again.
Modern history
Today, one aspect of slot games has dominated over all the others, and that is the online variety of slot machines. This type of slot gaming came into prevalence over the past twenty years, during the time of mass internet consumption and the shift of entertainment online. It is arguably more popular than its real life counterpart is today as fewer and fewer people visit their local establishments. Instead, they jump on the web through their computer or mobile device and play slots from the comfort of their home or on the more.
Online slots have actually been around longer than most players think. Some of the first online casinos were created in the mid nineties, before the internet even became so widespread and mainstream! A lot of internet firsts came much sooner than people now believe. The first true online slot games soon followed and today the internet cannot really be imagined without them.
Online slot games at MegawaySlots have improved dramatically since their earliest versions, as the technology surrounding them has also improved. Things such as graphics, designs, bonuses, layouts and even playability have all been altered by modern technology. The players are also a bit spoiled due to the abundance of entertainment content available now, but those are the times we live in.
Final Thoughts
The adaptability of the slot machine is to be admired since not many inventions have managed to withstand the test of time like the slot machine has. The fact that something so reliant on modern technology still exists after some 200 years of change and adaptation is fascinating.
Although online slots are incredibly popular, physical slot machines are still found in pretty much every casino. The true fans will always prefer pulling the lever or pushing the button in a physical casino from time to time, but moving along with the times and playing them online is the place to be right now.
