Top 5 Interesting Secrets About Slot Games

If you asked any person about the most common thing that you will find in a casino, the answer that would most commonly pop up is the slot machine. Slot machines, or simply slots, have come a long way since being invented over two centuries ago. Now, we have online video slots with fancy lights, extravagant animations and generous bonuses – click to explore. It can be quite surprising how advanced slots have become, but what we can be sure of is that these machines are here to stay in one form or another.

Just like many artefacts invented long ago that evolved and exist today, slot machines have a long history, and there are also a lot of interesting things that can be said about these one-armed bandits. With that, here are some interesting things about these machines that you may not know.

1. A Brief History of Slot Machines

The first slot machines were developed in 1891, and players spun five reels with five cards. Rewards were given by bars in the form of beers or cigars depending on the hands that were dealt; poker rules were used.

The first modern slot machine that is similar to the ones used today was developed by Charles Fey in 1895. Fey, a car mechanic from San Francisco, California, used card suits, horseshoes, and the Liberty Bell as symbols. As such, the first slot machine was called the Liberty Bell. The machine also used three reels, a one-row layout that became the blueprint for classic slot machine designs. An early version of the Liberty Bell now resides in a museum in Nevada as a historical artefact.

Other variations of slots became prevalent in shops such as cigar stores, bars, barber shops, and even hotels. In areas where gambling is prohibited, machine owners circumvented these laws by offering mints, candies, or gumballs in lieu of cash. Soon, other companies started developing their own one-armed bandits, the most popular of which was Bell-Fruit Gum Company. In fact, the BAR symbol that players often see in classic slot machines nowadays was derived from an early version of this company’s logo.

2. Other Names of Slot Machines

Throughout its history, slots have been referred to differently. The popularity by which slot machines were referred to varied from country to country, but here are the examples which are the most widespread.

• Fruit Machines. Slot machines are mostly known as fruit machines in the British area. This is due to the fact that the reels in the early days featured symbols such as cherries and melons. In some areas in the past, fruits were also given as prizes for wins rather than cash, especially in areas where gambling was not allowed.

• One-Armed Bandits. In America, slot machines are often referred to as one-armed bandits. This is because slot machines have one lever. They were also called because of their tendency to take your money, especially if you are on a losing streak. Back in the past, slot machines were also referred to as Liberty Bells in reference to the original machine created by Charles Fey.

• Betting Units. Betting units are a more technical term for slots and may also apply to other forms of video-based gambling games. For more technicality, Fixed Odds Betting Terminals may also be used, although these are often used by hardware manufacturers rather than casual gamers.

• Puggies/Pokies. These terms are mostly used by the Scots and Australians respectively. Pokies is also the term used by New Zealanders. These names really do not have any interesting story but are used as quirky terms to refer to slots.
• Video Slots. This term, typically used in America, is the term to refer to online slot machines since most slots nowadays are electronic and displayed on video screens.

3. How Are Spin Results Generated?

Primitive slot machines used mechanical means such as weights to make certain symbols appear less frequently in spin results. Now, most such machines are computerised, which means that these results are generated electronically.

The first patent for a machine that uses RNG was filed in 1984. The RNG, or Random Number Generators, are procedures through which random numbers are created as spin results. Each symbol has specific weights depending on the odds that the software manufacturer wants, and the RNG takes that into consideration as well. RNG is also used in other games of chance besides slots.

What’s even more interesting is that slots generate random numbers even while not at play. This ensures that each time a player spins the reels, random symbols are fresh and even a fraction of a second’s difference will produce a different result. Also, the results generated are independent of each other, so there could be no fixed strategies or ways on how to exploit the system.

With randomly generated numbers, there is no difference between playing in the daytime or at night time or if the game has not paid out for a long time. Even jackpots, which should only occur with a one in a million chance, can occur in two successive spins. Everything is random, including hot and cold streaks, all thanks to RNGs employed by slot games nowadays.

4. Understanding the RTP

RTP stands for Return to Player. This defines the odds of a player winning per spin in a particular game, although some players do not fully understand how this works. Rather than giving the odds of winning for each spin, the RTP pertains to how much you can potentially win back over prolonged playing time.

As an example, a game with the RTP of 95% will, over the course of 1,000 bets of one dollar each, win the player 950 dollars in return. This means a net loss of 50 dollars, which the machine keeps, not 950 dollars in profit. Of course, these are all theoretical figures, and there is also a good chance that players can win and even win big after a couple spins because of pure luck. This, in turn, is the reason why players get excited to continue playing and trying, as they say, to break the bank.

All slots have an RTP, and some are even prominently displayed especially in the case of online slots. RTPs cannot be changed without major changes in the software, and machines are also regulated to ensure that there is no tampering being done. The usual RTP that you will see in games nowadays ranges from 85 to 95%, although there are also those that have higher RTPs. Loose slots are those with high RTPs, while those with low RTPs are known to be tight.

5. Biggest Winners in Slot Machines

Sometimes, winning in a slot machine can just get you a couple of dollars. Other times, wins can be comparable to winning the lottery. Here are some of the biggest wins of the most fortunate players in Las Vegas slot games.

27 Million

A 60-year old woman won 680,000 dollars at the Palace Station Hotel’s Wheel of Fortune Machine. Despite the immense luck, the lady continued playing which rewarded her with a 27 million dollar prize in Megabucks just a few months later.

39.7 Million

A 25-year old man from Los Angeles won 39.7 million dollars at the Megabucks machine in Las Vegas while waiting for a basketball game to start. Rather than get it all and squander it away, the man opted for a yearly payout instead.

8.9 Million

A 71-year old woman played the same machine in the same hotel each time that she visited Las Vegas. During one gaming session that lasted about 3 hours and cost less than 100 dollars, she won 8.9 million dollars.

4.6 Million and 21 Million

A World War II veteran won 4.6 million dollars when playing Megabucks at Mirage. Interestingly enough, Mirage just opened on that day. Sixteen years later, the man won 21 million dollars in the same casino when playing the exact same machine.

Conclusion

These are just some of the interesting things that you may not know about slot games. As the years go by, there will be even more trivia about these machines. Nevertheless, it can be said that these games have had a very storied history, and we are very excited to see what’s in store for these one-armed bandits as they evolve further through the years.