It all started when a big metal box was installed in the corner of the bar. This mysterious contraption had a vertical lever on one side – and a row of small square windows at the front.
People probably had to be shown how it worked. Nobody had seen anything like it before.
You had to pop a coin into the slot and pull hard on the lever.The row of symbols shown in the windows blurred as the machine’s internal wheels rotated rapidly.
Eventually these coloured symbols came to rest, displaying a new sequence of images in the row of little windows. Your luck was in if they matched one of the pre-determined lucky combinations.
There would be a clattering sound from inside the box –and money would tumble into a metal tray at the bottom of the machine. You’d won a ‘jackpot’ on a slot machine.
Is it any wonder that the simple slot machine – or one-armed bandit or fruit machine – struck such a chord all over the world? It’s simple, fun and so easy to play.
Enjoying slots has always been quick and thrilling. You don’t need to learn or practise.
You could play one quick game as you passed the machine – or pull up a stool and settle in for a long session with a pile of coins to feed into the machine.
Eventually the clunky old metal machines became electronic, with plenty of flashing lights and a whole repertoire of electronic buzzes and alarms.This helped their appeal grow stronger still.
Whole ranks of flashing, buzzing slot machines filled casino floors and arcades across the world. The electronic slot machine was the most popular gaming device ever devised.
The development of online slots
So, when the internet revolution arrived, the slot was an obvious candidate to spearhead the rise of the new online casinos. The big question was: could the modern web designers capture the simple thrill of a traditional slot machine on a remote digital screen?
Of course, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. Today it’s easy to see the result: there are thousands of different slot games across the world’s internet gaming sites.
With access available from their own homes or using portable devices, millions of players enjoy everything from a quick game to a long-relaxed session at the online slots. The range of themes and varieties of slot games available online is now truly extraordinary.
Slot games today make the old physical machines look primitive in comparison. The latest games can range from a screen surrounded by colourful cartoon characters to a game based on a popular sport with video clips forming part of the game.
There are slots based on ancient history, blockbuster movies and TV celebrities. Online casinos are constantly dreaming up new slot games to attract players.
Online slot game themes are inspired by many industries, with one of the most popular being TV&Film.
The graphic displays and fantastic ideas seem to have got better and better. Meanwhile, behind the screen the technologies have kept pace with the inventiveness of the designers.
A modern slot game appears to retain that lever-pulling simplicity of the original bandit machines – but is really a digital marvel. It uses sophisticated technologies like random-number generation to update the old slot machine formula for the digital age.
And modern designers are able to add plenty of game-enhancing features to the online slots that would have been impossible in the old mechanical machine days. Free spins and prize boosts add variety and even more excitement to what was always a simple winning formula.
All these bonuses and special additional features can enhance the gaming experience for a slot player. They can create a moment of real tension, give the player a thrilling decision to make or the glimpse of an even bigger prize than they were expecting.
The fierce competition between online casinos simply adds to the appeal of the slots on offer. Operators are eager to win over new customers so they try everything they can to make their slots more exciting than the next casino.
That can include special promotions to lure players to their selection of slot games. And it may involve higher payouts too.
The casinos vie with each other to devise the most attractive games and the biggest selection. All this pushes the frontiers of slot gaming and improves the choices for players.
It’s one of the best demonstrations of the benefits of digital technology in the gaming industry. The traditional physical game has been transformed by the possibilities of digital technology and the internet.
Advancements in technology have allowed slot developers to create some of the best quality slot games
The freedom given to web designers has allowed an explosion in the number, variety and features of playing slots. There has never been a greater choice for the slot fan.
This is great news for both sides of the gaming industry. Players can pick and choose what, where and when to play, while the operators get more customers that have been attracted to their huge range of fantastic slot games.
The whole online gaming industry is booming – and in many cases it’s the soaring popularity of slot games that is leading this. Gaming experts have studied the way slots have survived and thrived in the new digital gaming environment.
Not much is ever certain in the world of gaming but one thing they’re all agreed on: the appeal of the good old slots shows no sign of decreasing. They expect players to be enjoying this simple gaming formula – for many generations to come.
