If there is one thing gamblers adore most of all, it is a slot machine. 3-reel, 5-reel, 3D slots, and even 6- and 7-reel pokies are the gamblers’ affection.
The origins of modern slots date back to the 19th century. The first slot machine was created by the New York company — Sittman and Pitt in 1891. The game consisted of 5 drums and 50 playing cards.
Much has changed since then. The world was stepping into the Internet era, and online casinos appeared.
But first, only a few games such as roulette and blackjack were available. And after a while, slots took their positions as the most popular game in the casinos’ collections.
Since the mid 90s first online casinos have come into being and won the hearts of gamblers.
Types Of Slots
There are a variety of slot machines that you can find at online casinos: from 3-reel and 5-reel pokies to 3D and progressive ones. Also, you can play slots both for real money with Min deposit: $10 and for free as well.
3-Reel Pokies
3-reel slots are the oldest games in the casino world. They feature 3 reels and one payline. If you’re going to play for real money, you have to choose a bet amount and score a winning combination of symbols by spinning the reels.
The simplicity of the games attracts both newcomers and high-rollers.
5-Reel Pokies
5-reel slots (aka video slots) are the modern version of 3-reel pokies. They have complex graphics, great visuals, and, last but not least, authentic sound effects. As the name suggests, 5-reel slots have extra two reels and more rows, allowing players to hit more winning combinations. Plus, video slots offer more features such as:
● Paylines;
● Wilds and Scatters;
● Free Spins;
● Volatility;
● RTP;
● Bonus Rounds.
Progressive Jackpot Slots
Progressive jackpot slots take a proportion of each bet wagered and add it to the jackpot. For instance, if several gamblers play the Starburst slot at the same time, they will contribute money to the jackpot, which one or several players can win.
When more than one online casino offers the same slot game, the jackpots can reach millions of dollars.
3D Slots
3D slots are video games designed to deliver high-quality graphics as if you’re wearing special glasses while watching a movie. However, you don’t need them.
In regular 3D slots, the background is 2D, but the symbols and reels are three-dimensional.
There is not much difference between video and 3D slots. However, 3D slot games have superior graphics quality.
Popular Slots
We have already mentioned the Sittman and Pitt Gambling Machine. But there is one more invention that you should be acquainted with — Liberty Bell.
Many gamblers think Liberty Bell is the first type of slot machine. It is also called “fruit machine” or “one-armed bandit”. The Liberty Bell was created by Charles Fey in 1894.
Each of Liberty Bell’s three reels has the following symbols: heart, spade, diamond, horseshoe, star, and Liberty Bell. A player could pull the lever, and the reels started spinning. Then the rotation stopped on a random combination of symbols. A player got coins (win) when the same symbols appeared on all three reels. The maximum payout a gambler could get was 50 cents.
No one could invent anything more interesting than Liberty Bell. However, in 1963 US developer — Bally — launched the first electromechanical slot machine. It was called “Money Honey”. A revolutionary slot provided a tempting offer — 500 coin wins. It was the perfect slot at the right time.
The next invention was Fortune Coin — the first video slot machine — the origin of modern video slots. It was presented to the general public at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel.
Now Fortune Coin is owned by an IGT software developer.
There is an iconic slot that is known to all slot fans — Cleopatra. This slot appeared in 2005. The Egyptian-themed pokie had 5 reels and 20 paylines. Cleopatra gave players a chance to win 15 free spins with a 3x multiplier.
It was a favourite slot for new players and professional ones.
Nowadays, Cleopatra is available both at online casinos on your PC and mobile phone.
In 2013, one of the most popular progressive jackpot slots appeared. It was called “Mega Fortune”. One day a player from Paf Casino hit the jackpot, which amounted to €17,860,868.
Times were changing, and the gambling industry started to involve slots based on books and movies. Thus, Playtech software provider released some Marvel-themed slots such as The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, The Avengers, Thor, and, of course, Iron Man. It was in 2014.
These creators got feedback and positive reviews.
2016 was the year when the VR version of some popular slots was released. For instance, Jack and the Beanstalk VR became one of the first VR pokies, launched by the NetEnt provider.
We don’t know what the future holds. But with VR technology, it seems rather optimistic.