The Original Slot. The original slot, the very first of its kind, was built based on different card symbols across five reels. If you made certain poker hands, you would win prizes like a beer or food in the bar the game was installed inside of. Many people find it hard to believe that a five-reel game was the very first slot, but it's true.
If you play a classic 3-reel slot machine, chances are that you'll see the usual symbols on the reels. Bells, 7s, lemons, and cherries are all pretty standard, as is the BAR symbol. But why?
There's nothing inherently part of the BAR symbol that would make you think it's a key element of slot machine gambling. Then again, why are there so many fruit symbols on there? You can find plenty of information about it online, but it's important to dig deep and not just trust the first source you find.
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Fact vs fiction
Traditional casino games like Blackjack have been around since the 1600s with minimal documentation at the time, so it's understandable that we might not know how elements of the game evolved.
But slots were only introduced in the late 1880s, so you would think that there would be clear historical records on these matters. However, there's as much fiction mixed in with fact on the matter, perhaps because of prohibition.
If you check out our own blog post about how fruit machines got the fruit symbols, you'll read that gumball machines were made with slot interfaces. So you'd gamble knowing no matter what you'll get a piece of gum, but depending on if you got cherries or lemons, you'd end up with a different flavor piece of gum.
This was also because laws in the US banned gambling, so this was a way around the rules, as establishments would pay out gum, which of course could be traded back in or used as a kind of currency.
According to this story, the BAR was an image of a pack of gum, eventually becoming more stylized over the years. However, there are images available that show it was the logo of the Bell-Fruit Gum Company. The logo definitely looks like a BAR symbol, so it makes sense why the bar would evolve from the company making the gum dispensed by these slot machines.
But historians can get a bit skeptical. There weren't any gum companies in the early years of slots that were making single fruit flavored gums.
In fact, the slot designs might have been made to promote a new product from the gum producers before such a product was created, if it even was ever released. It's hard to even find proof of the existence of the Bell-Fruit Gum Company on its own, apart from the Mills early slot machines.
That said, the original story is still viable as slot machines were not automated in those times. Instead, when the bell rang indicating that you were a winner, the bar or speakeasy you were playing in would pay out accordingly. If gambling for money was illegal at the time, it makes sense that you'd be paid in flavored gum, cigarettes or drinks.
Is the BAR symbol still popular?
Over the years since the original 3-reel slots were introduced, slot machines have evolved. Additional paylines were added, reels and payouts were upgraded, and eventually we reached the level we're at today, where most slot games are digital. Video slots are the most popular and bring in tons of revenue for casinos, both online and physical.
While there are always fans of the classic, retro 3-reel slot machines, most gamblers opt for more immersive experiences. With modern slot machines offering videos, animations, bonuses and more, gameplay can become even more thrilling. Even though they're often referred to as fruit machines, the reality is that they have gone way beyond that.
That said, the BAR symbol still appears on many games. Whether it's an upgraded version of a classic slot that's looking for a retro appeal, or simply a way for a developer to pad out the reels and distinguish the standard symbols from the high-paying ones, BAR on the reels continues into the 21st century.
Sources:
https://professorslots.com/slot-machines-say-bar/
http://p1.la-img.com/289/25176/9233673_6_l.jpg
https://www.doverdowns.com/Casino/history-of-slots
https://gaming.nv.gov/index.aspx?page=142
http://pennymachines.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=5464
There are more varieties of slot machines than you may have ever imagined. Slots were created as a simple game in the 1800s, working as three spinning mechanical reels. The first gambling slot machine had only five symbols: horseshoes, diamonds, spades, hearts, and a Liberty Bell.
Video Slot Machines and Reel Slot Machines
Since that first slot machine, many things have changed, but the concept remains the same. The slot machine will choose a random number for each reel and will slot a symbol into a position on the reel when it stops spinning. The player wins if the reels line up symbols incorrectly on a payline.
There are now video slot machines with multiple pay lines, traditional reel slot machines, and progressive slot machines that can have huge jackpots. You can now play slot machines online and on a mobile phone. While slot machine technology has changed a lot aesthetically, the game still essentially works the same.
Random Number Generator
A Random Number Generator chip operates Today's slot machines. These RNG chips choose outcomes of the video or reels at random for every spin. There are no patterns or hot/cold streaks, and your odds are the same for each spin with today's slot machine. The only specific number that an RNG must adhere to is the payout scheduled by the game operator. Slot machines are set to return a specific amount of money played. The minimum amount of money returned to the player is designated by the gaming control board.
The format of a slot machine still plays a role in selecting a machine. Reel slot machines continue the tradition of the original slot machines. Many players continue to enjoy the sound of the reels whizzing around before landing on a payline. Newer reel slot machines still feature that traditional gameplay while competing with video slot machines that have as many as nine different pay lines.
Technology allows video slot machines to have as many pay lines as can fit on the screen. Today you'll see video slot machines and online slot machine games with up to 100 pay lines. These games can be so elaborate to incorporate video clips of movies, television shows, and music videos. There are even communal video slot machines in some casinos where bonus rounds and progressive jackpots are generated and played by multiple players at different machines.
Higher Limits = Higher Payouts
One of the reasons that players still gravitate to reel slot machines is because many have fewer pay lines so they may take fewer credits to play. Slots with low credit needs come in handy when playing higher limits slot machines. Typically higher limits slot machines will return a higher percentage of money than lower limits slot machines. A slot machine where one credit is equal to $5 will return a higher percentage of the money played, than a $1 slot machine, a 25 cent slot machine, and so forth.
Slot Machine Symbols Bar Charts
Some slot machine players feel more comfortable playing three credits for $15 in a $5 slot machine because of the higher return percentage than they do by playing 50 lines in a 25 cent slot machine. It's easier for a player to understand the math behind a slot machine with fewer lines and symbol combinations.
A reel slot machine can only hold up to about 20 symbols per reel, so possible combinations are limited. A video slot machine may have up to 100 reels and symbols. Without reading the actual odds on each video slot machine, it's almost impossible to predict the probability of winning video slot machines. It can be confusing for players who are looking for a mellow activity.
Progressive Jackpots
This math comes into play when looking at progressive jackpots on both video slot machines and reel slot machines. Players look at the progressive jackpots and wonder if it will be easier to win with fewer reels than it would be with more. The RNG will dictate when the progressive jackpots will pay out, but the psychology of the game may impact players preference for playing a certain progressive jackpot game.
Slot Machine Symbols Crossword
Progressive slot machine jackpots build by players contributing a portion of their play to a prize pot to be won by one person. Progressive jackpots can be individual slot machines, groups of slot machines in a casino and now even in multiple states. Some progressive jackpots can be so massive that they will change someone's life, so it's worth it to know what you're doing.
Slot Machine Bar Symbol
Be sure to check out the Ultimate Online Slots Guide for even more in-depth information into how to play slots, slot strategy, as well as, slot payouts and symbols!