First Slot Machines
Have you ever looked at a slot machine and wondered how it all began? Have you ever asked yourself who invented this glorious game that makes up a large portion of the revenue for casinos everywhere? If you have felt any curiosity whatsoever about the origins of the most popular gambling pastime in the world, then read on.
It all began in 1895 with a car mechanic named Charles Fey, an immigrant man who would change the face of entertainment forever with his invention, a slot machine called the “Liberty Bell.” The game featured 3 reels that had diamonds, hearts, spades, and one liberty bell painted around them. Players had to line up 3 bells in order to win the jackpot, which was worth $0.50. Fay soon found that he was having trouble keeping up with demand for his original product, and before he knew it, a Chicago arcade game manufacturer was producing a product very similar to Fay’s; it was called “Operator Bell,” and it was the next generation in slot machine entertainment.
The “Operator Bell” slots game was like Fay’s machine in many ways, but it had been updated to include 10 symbols on each reel, and was more portable than the original slot machine, which had been several hundred pounds of cast iron.
After a long period of unrest on the topic of gambling in the United States, the state of Nevada reintroduced the industry of gambling in the 1930’s, and slot machines have been an integral part of the industry since then. Fey had created a gaming giant that would continue grow and change until it became some of the incredible video slots games available today, both in traditional gaming establishments and online.