Discover the fascinating world of slot machines: historical background, the importance for online casinos, contemporary usage and the electronic age of these devices and the way they are used to have fun by online casinos.
Introducteion
Gambling is one of the oldest human activities in the world history. Ancient Egyptian artifacts from 2000 BC show gambling as a sport. Moreover, other old cultures such as India, Greece and Native Americans also had their own gambling cultures. Gambling has a long history and it has been innovated for thousands years. One of the most important innovations in the gambling history is the introduction of mechanical games - slot machines.
Why are Slot Machines Important for Online casinos
Slot machines play an important role in contemporary casinos in two means. First, slot machine areas are major part of the gaming floor in most casinos. Secondly, the departmental profit margins for the slot are just as impressive. In Las Vegas Strip properties, almost half of the total gaming revenue comes from slot department. Slot machines are very important in terms of square footage and revenue in casinos.
First Coin-operated Machine
The invention of the first coin-operated machines in the late 1880s in the East became popular in San Francisco. The first model of machines was not the reel slot we see now. It was more like a poker machine. Each reel had cards instead of cherries and bells. Saloons or cigar shops contained those machines. Players won cigar or drinks as a prize if they hit the poker hands on the machine. By 1890, the city of San Francisco had 3,117 licensed establishments with these card machines.
Charles Fey a Father of Reel Slots of Online Casinos
The first slot machines that looked like the one we know now were invented in San Francisco in 1899. The inventor was the Bavarian immigrant named Charles Fey. He named the machine as "Liberty Bell". Liberty Bell shaped just like current slots. It had three reels, a payout schedule, and a coin acceptor and a large handle on the right side of the machine. Fey monopolized slot machine market, and made a big success. The second important person in the slot machine history is Herbert Stephen Mill from Chicago. In 1909, Mill modified the machine of Fay. He added ten more symbols to each reel, and make it more mobile and space saving.
The Electronic Age of Online Casinos
One of the biggest innovations on slot machine is the birth of electronic machines at online casinos and offline casinos. Before the electronic age, slot machines were all mechanical. In that era, all slot machines had a big handle, players have to pull the handle to play the game, and reels started spinning mechanically. However, those machines had many problems especially from the security standpoint. It was very easy to cheat on those machines. Since slot machines began to adopt electronic microprocessors in it as the computerization in the society went on, the advantages grew quickly. Electronic slots machines have two advantage compared with mechanical slots:
- they are more secure than mechanical slots
- operators could offer bigger prize on electronic machines
Online Casinos vary in the amount of games and slots that they offer, but do not get mistaken. All online casinos offer a large range of slots. Have Fun!
But I Hate Slots?
then pick craps instead!
From Crabs to Craps:
Here, we describe the origins of craps and provide the readers with profound historical knowledge of this game, one of the more popular ones offered by online casinos.
Humanity has been throwing dice since the beginning of acknowledged history. There have always been games of chance based on this, and ever since people consulted bones as Oracles they have been playing with dice and having them tell if they would win or not. Hence, the History of Craps conceals in mystery. However, we indeed know a few solid facts.
There is evidence that craps originates form Ancient Egypt, where people used to play it in order to consult their gods. Of course, this game was far different from the contemporary one, but it was the beginning, which promised to be one of the most popular games in the casino. In addition, we know that in Ancient Rome the soldiers shaved knuckles of pigs in order to play a game that was very close to the one that we know today.
The name of the game, Craps actually comes from the French pronunciation of the word, Crabs a nickname for the earlier game of Hazard, developed in 1700. Members of the European aristocracy played Hazard before arriving to America.
By 1813, the game of hazard was simplified and transformed into the first version of craps. New adaptation of Hazard quickly spread throughout the United States. The game had one major flaw; it was vulnerable to the use of fixed dice due to its betting rules. The problem was fixed by introducing the possibility for players to bet right or wrong in the layout of the craps table, including a space for Do Not Pass bets. These adjustments revolutionized the game, eliminating the usefulness of fixed dice and making it possible for players to bet for or against the roller.
World War II also witnessed soldiers using craps in its modern form as entertainment, which gained immense popularity as a way for them to break the monotony of war. Even movies included the game in their story lines as casino craps took over the gambling world.
Over the years, particularly in the 1990s, craps lost much of its popularity as slot machines and other casino favorites began pulling in the majority of gamblers. Only recently, it has shown signs of making a comeback into the gambling scene since entering the 21st century and since appearing in online casinos. Technological advances, such as the options of playing at online casinos, have also contributed to the return. One thing can be sure: the game of craps has been around for hundreds of years and will continue to hold an important place in the online casinos and other gambling tradition.
