The history of the slot machine is quite fascinating. What started as a mechanical one-armed bandit has turned into online slots that can be played from anywhere in the world. However, there are many changes in between that should not be discarded as they all helped to shape the slot as we know it today – klikk her.
Every unique symbol on a slot machine has a specific value. If the symbol ends up in a pay line with identical symbols, you earn a payout based on the value of each one in the pay line. Slots typically make their highest paying symbols images of the main character on which the slot is based or something similar. Slot game wild symbols have existed since the first 'One Armed Bandit' slot machine appeared on the scene. These colorful symbols are like the joker in a deck of cards - they can be used with any symbols on the reels to create winning combinations. For example if you have a symbol on reels 1 and 3 and wild on reel 2, this will then create a.
One thing that we don’t often consider though, is how slot machine symbols have evolved. Just like slot machines in general, slot symbols also have a rich and eventful history. If you are interested in knowing slots have changed over time, keep on reading.
Introducing the First Slot Symbols
If you are familiar with the evolution of the slot machine, then you probably know that it is Charles Fey, an engineer from California, who invented the slot machine as we know it. It was called the Liberty Bell slot and featured the simplest of symbols. They were also much less than what you find at modern slots.
One of the symbols was, of course, the Liberty Bell, which also happened to be the highest paying symbol in the slot. Other symbols were inspired by casino games like poker and blackjack. Hence, the playing card symbols that is popular to this day.
During the 20th century, slots became immensely popular. Since Fey did not own the rights for his slot machine, similar slots started popping up everywhere. This meant that slot developers now had a problem. All the slots created were identical. What could they do to set their slots apart from the rest? One of the best ways that slot developers could think of was to introduce new slot symbols. In the slots that followed, card symbols remained popular. However, they were combined with BAR and 7 symbols.
Vegas Video Slots
The first-ever video slot game was created specifically for the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas. Video slots brought with them the potential to customise, and this is exactly what slot developers did. The fact that symbols were no longer painted on reels, but projected on a screen meant that slot developers could create any symbol they wanted. It gave them the freedom to experiment with symbols.
This was also where the first bonus symbols were introduced. In no time developers started experimenting with bonus games, and they needed bonus symbols to trigger the bonus games. These bonus symbols are what set the tone for wilds and scatters that we have grown used to.
Modern Online Slots
With the internet boom, the casino industry started moving to an online platform. However, it was not until the end of the 20th century that the first online slot was released. Online slots offered slot developers even more freedom to create slot masterpieces. In the space of a few years, online slots evolved to include multiple bonus games, special features and elaborate game symbols. These include wilds (stacked, expanded, etc.), scatters, bonus symbols and so much more.
It is thus safe to say that technology has taken slot symbols to the next level.
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With more and more slots coming out every day, there should have been an infinite number of slot machine symbols today. However, have you ever noticed that some symbols haven’t changed much? Liberty Bell, Horse Shoe, fruits, and cards – all of these symbols have a long history behind them.
Slot machine symbols how we know them today
Slot machine symbols, as we know them today, originate from the end of the 19th century, when the first mechanized versions of poker revolutionized the gambling industry. The three-reel slot machines, designed by Charles Augustus Fey, soon became very popular among poker enthusiasts. At that time, payouts were based on poker combinations made from 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces. besides, symbols as a Horseshoe and Liberty Bell were also present at one-armed bandits of that time. You can find more on that in this article about the history and evolution of slot machines.
However, as the machines only contained poker-related symbols, people who weren’t familiar with the game couldn’t understand the combinations. Therefore, the slot machine manufacturers decided to expand the target audience and add new symbols. This resulted in more people interested in gambling, which brings us to the next step in the evolution of slot machines.
Fruit machines – how fruit symbols helped to avoid gambling restrictions
At the beginning of the 20th century, the US government introduced new restrictions on table games and gambling. And as slot machines with card symbols also fell into that category, most of them were banned. However, slot machine manufacturers and casino owners found a way out of this situation. In 1912, such symbols like cherries, plums, and berries started to appear on slot machines. Even today, you can still find online slots that feature symbols from the 20th-century fruit machines.
In addition to fruits and berries, there was one more symbol that started to appear on fruit machine reels. Bell-Fruit Gum Company, which was one of the biggest slot machine manufacturers at that time, introduced the bar symbol. The bar not only stood for the company’s logo but also aimed at advertising their new product. And as monetary prizes were forbidden, the company ended up giving away their gums.
All you need to know about online slot machine symbols
Nowadays, slot machines usually have 5 reels and the time they stop is determined by the Random Number Generator (RNG). Moreover, as the manufacturers increased the number of reels, they also created special symbols. Overall, there are 3 main categories of online slot machine symbols today – standard, wild, and scatter symbols. Standard symbols stand for old-fashioned symbols like fruits, Liberty Bells, and bars. They don’t serve any specific purpose, but if you hit 3 to 5 of them, you will get a payout. On the other hand, wild symbols
Slot Machine Symbols
represent “place-holders” that can stand for any missing symbol. These symbols make it easier to hit combinations on online casino sites in the US. Finally, scatter symbols allow players to win special bonuses like free spins. These symbols don’t affect your winnings, but they give you a chance to spin the reels for free up to 15 times.
Conclusion
Best Slot Machines To Play
Since the card symbols and fruit machines, slot machine symbols have come a long way. Today, online gambling sites in the US offer a huge variety of themed slots with different symbols. Each player can find something they like – from Star Wars Slots to Ancient Egypt-themed games. For example, if you are a slot enthusiast, try checking out CyberSpins Casino.CyberSpins specializes in all kinds of slot games and offers great bonuses.