Before the slot machine came the first automated gambling machine, developed in 1891. Created by Sittman and Pitt in Brooklyn, this machine was based on poker hands, holding 5 drums that contained a total of 50 card faces. Players would insert a nickel and pull the lever, hoping for a good poker hand that would win big. However, this first iteration of a slot machine did not have a direct payout mechanism. Instead, these machines were placed in bars, allowing winning customers a free beer or pack of cigars.
Later down the line, sometime between 1887 and 1895, Charles Fey developed a more advanced version of Sittman and Pitt’s automated poker machine. Instead of drums with card faces, Fey developed a machine with 3 spinning reels with 5 different symbols: horseshoes, diamonds, spades, hearts, and the iconic Liberty Bell. This design soon grew to be so popular that many manufacturers began copying Fey’s design. These machines were then named the Liberty Bell machine and served as the basis for the modern-day slot machine that bettors all know and love today. While the first iterations of the slot machine were completely mechanical, many current-day slot machines operate via a touch screen with a completely upgraded digital interface.
The first video slot machine was developed in 1976 by Fortune Coin Co., which later sold its technology to IGT in 1978. Since then, modern-day slot machines have continued to evolve from mechanical to digital and now, online play.
The Inaugural Online Slot
The shift from traditional on-land slot machines to digital mobile slot machines online first started back in 1996. This was thanks to Microgaming as they were the innovators to debut the very first online casino. Microgaming was responsible for not one, but two different online casinos in the 90s: The Gaming Club and Intercasino. The games Microgaming offered on their platforms weren’t just for fun, they also marked the first instances of online gaming for real cash prizes.
The first online progressive jackpot slot machine game was called Cash Splash, which was also developed by Microgaming in 1998. This trend of online innovation quickly spread to other developers, eventually resulting in the digital slot machine culture moving from older, clunky computers to sleeker mobile devices, namely Nokia phones.
The Growth of Online Slot Machines
While the move from desktop computers to Nokia mobile devices was extraordinary, this version of mobile gaming did not allow bettors to wager and win real money. This innovation with sweepstakes-style online casinos only entered the online gambling market with newer software to process online payments as well as the introduction of iOS and Android. Since then, online betting has continued to grow, eventually exploding into the massive iGaming market that bettors are familiar with today. iGaming today has evolved into something so popular that they are now comparable to the likes of traditional on-land casinos. Online slots offer tons of benefits over traditional casinos, the number one being that they cater to casual players.
While traditional casinos require all their guests to pay in order to play or participate in any of their games, online casinos do not. Online casinos that operate on a sweepstakes model can offer a specific type of virtual currency (often called Gold Coins) that is frequently gifted to players for free play. This way, players can choose to use Gold Coins if they want to play for free or play with Sweeps Coins if they want to take some risks for a big win.
The second biggest benefit to playing at an online casino rather than an on-land one is the level of convenience. Unlike on-land casinos, online casinos never close and don’t require players to even leave the comfort of their own homes to begin playing. Online casinos’ level of accessibility is what makes it so attractive: imagine being able to game at home, on the train to work, or even in dull waiting rooms. Online casinos also get rid of the inconvenience of having to travel at all, allowing all kinds of bettors that cannot visit on-land casinos to finally get their fill of gaming. This level of incredible accessibility is unmatched and is a considerable part of what makes online slots a loyal bettor’s staple.
Play Online Slots at OMG Casino
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Conclusion
iGaming rose to the top in popularity amongst bettors and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Online slots have quickly become a staple in the gambling sphere for good reason. Online gaming’s level of accessibility, convenience, and innovation makes it a fantastic option for long-time bettors as well as newcomers.
