Did you know that the slot machine is 125 years old? The first slot machine was introduced to the casino floor back in 1895 by the inventor Charles Fey and as you will know all too well if you’re a frequent slot player or are familiar with casinos, the slot machines have come a very long way in those 125 years. The first slot machine has just five symbols based on playing cards and the Liberty Bell which is what it was then named after.
As you might imagine, the technology was a lot different in the late 1800s and early 1900s and these first traditional slot machines were mechanical in their function and players had to physically pull the mechanical arm on the side of the machine to make the reels spin.
Almost for as long as the slot machine has been invented, there have been players who have tried to beat the machine and many came up with different cheating strategies which mostly involved tricking the machine into thinking coins were inserted. This was rather easy for players to do over a century ago, although they almost always were caught.
However, technology has completely transformed the gambling and the slot industry and from humble beginnings in the last 25 years since British scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989, the slot machines was given a new lease of life. It was a match made in heaven for players and casinos operators and online slot play is becoming increasingly popular, with the majority of slot fan choosing to play their favourite slot games at Wizard Slots on their mobile phones and tablets.
The fact that many players tried to cheat the slot machines when they were mechanical highlighted the importance of using technology to not only improve the game’s entertainment value but to also make the games as fair as possible and to protect the revenue of the casinos. Over the years slots became electronic so they didn’t need the mechanical lever and then were eventually all digitalised, making use of the random number generator to ensure players weren’t able to cheat by manipulating the outcome of the spin of the reels.
While there are still many modern slot machines both online and in land-based casinos that look like traditional slot machines, taking on a vintage look and feel, they were still all controlled by a random number generator, so even slots which look old school still rely on the same mechanism as the contemporary-looking slot games! So, no matter which type of slot game you choose to play, the outcome of the spin of the reel is completely random and the only way to improve your odds is to play slots with a higher RTP.
Traditional slot machines undoubtedly paved the way for technology in the entertainment and casino industry. Although the basic principle of our modern slot machines are based and derived from the traditional slot machine, thanks to technology they are far more complex, sophisticated and to the delight of players, far more lucrative than they ever have been!