When was the slot machine invented?

Slot machines are the cornerstone of online casinos — and they continue to attract millions to brick-and-mortar locations like Wales’ popular seaside arcades. There are thousands of such games on Internet operators and many more are being developed every year. The popularity of the games can be explained by their simplicity, high potential winnings, and flexible stakes. The games we can play today have little in common with the original slot machine, which was created more than a century ago.

Slot machines were invented in 1891

One would have to go back in time for quite a while to reach the birthplace of the first slot machine. Sittman and Pitt are credited as the first developers of the journal, with their slot machine being a very basic one. According to the online slots website JeffBet.com; “It was created in 1891” and the gameplay was simple but effective and people from those days loved the game. It was initially introduced to bars and the slot machine became the focal point of attraction for patrons.

It stayed true to his name as it was a true machine, in the sense that you will have to pull a lever to start playing. The first and most important step was to insert a coin, and lucky players would have to return to the bar to get their payout. Chance will determine the outcome of the game, something that hasn’t changed after more than a century. You don’t need to be an expert or have any previous experience with slots to be successful if you play at online casinos, as lack is all you need.

Charles Augustus Fey sets an important milestone

This talented inventor was a bit unlucky to release his slot machine just a few years after the aforementioned contraption was unveiled. However, his creation was significantly better and one of his qualities was the fact that it would pay winnings automatically. This enabled the bar owners to introduce more such devices, without having a dedicated person handling payments.

The slot machine created by Charles Augustus Fey was also better looking and had more symbols. These included horseshoes, hearts, diamond spades, and the Liberty Bell, which was responsible for producing the biggest payouts. It is this game that served as a source of inspiration for the next slot machines created over the years.

The path from adversity to acceptance 

Slot machines were popular in the early years but at the turn of the century, they were banned in many places. Instead of claiming money, winners had to settle for sweets and chewing gum, to continue to play the games. Over the years, authorities realized the fact that it was better to regulate the industry instead of trying to ban the games. Online casinos found it worthwhile to add slot machines to the premises and they proved to be immensely popular with patrons. Today, the best slots can be found online, where millions of people enjoy them at licensed and regulated casinos.