Fun Facts About Slot Machines

Slot machines are one of the most important parts of land-based and online casinos but it wasn’t always the case. In the 1980s it was only a side activity in the casino owners’ minds, attracting older people. But it’s all changed in the last few decades and now slot machines take a central point. You can read more similar fun facts about slot machines in our summary below. 

We can find all kinds of slot machines in casinos with different themes, attracting most visitors instantly. While on online gambling sites slots are the most popular gambling games with an endless choice of games to choose from. But when was the first slot machine actually built? How did they become so popular? Where can you find the most slots? And what was the biggest amount won on them? Keep on reading to find the answers to all these questions and learn more about this popular gambling option in 2024!

1. First Slot Machines Were Made In The 19th Century

Let’s start our list of fun facts about slot machines with a short history of slot machines. The first ones were invented in 1891 by Sittman and Pit in the US. They were the early versions of poker machines as they had five printed drums, each with ten cards. The winning lines were based on poker combinations just like the payouts. Which meant a free beer or cigarettes from the bar at that time. Charles August Fey built the first machine with three reels three years later, using different symbols like horseshoe, diamond and Liberty Bell as symbols. Jumping ahead in time, the first video slot machine, the Fortune Coin was made in 1976 with the usage of a Sony TV screen. 

2. Now They Are The Most Profitable Games – Fun Facts About Slot Machines

Probably even casino owners didn’t think a couple of decades ago that slot machines would become so popular. But with the appearance of online slots, it was exactly what happened.  Slots are not only popular but also the most profitable games. Now they make up around 85% of the average casino’s revenues.

Who would have thought that in the 1980s when slot machines didn’t even have stools. They stood in the corner of the casinos or in the hall, so they didn’t take space from the gambling tables. Now it’s the other way around, we can find much more slot machines than tables. On online casino sites in the US it is the same situation, with hundreds of different slot games to choose from. 

3. There Are Professional Slot Players

Surely you heard about professional poker players but there professional slot players too who  managed to make a living from playing. These players study the slots, search for the best payout rates and apply different bankroll management plans. These practices help them winning more times than an average player. Professional slot players can also make a podcast, a YouTube channel or even write a book about the tips and experiences. They might not be as famous as poker or blackjack players but they still managed to make a job from their passion.  But even the most professional players need luck to win as no real strategies can be used during playing slots. 

4. Biggest Slot Jackpot Was $39,7 Million

Do you have the image of dropping coins when you hear about winning the jackpot? Well, in truth the biggest slot machine winners won millions of dollars thanks to progressive slot jackpots. The size of the jackpot of these slots grows with every spin and can reach really huge amounts.

The biggest progressive jackpot game is Megabucks, which also produced the biggest jackpot so far. A 25-year-old engineer won the staggering amount of $39,7 million in 2003 at the Excalibur Casino in Las Vegas. There have been several other huge wins in Megabucks, you can read more about them in our previous article. Though there is no online version of Megabucks yet, you can find other games with big jackpot on online gambling sites in the US. 

5. There Are More Slot Machines In Japan Than In The US – Fun Facts About Slot Machines

Though slot machines were invented in the US, they become popular all around the world. We can find them in most casinos from London to Singapore. While the most slot machines are available in Japan. The Asian country also have their own gambling machines, called pachinko which is similar to a pinball machine. Players aim to win as many balls as possible in order to exchange them for prizes. The so-called Pachinko parlors are widespread in the country and often contain normal slot machines as well. There are more than 5 million slot machines in the country, which means that there is a slot machine for every 27 people. While this number is 350 in the US after having ‘only’ 800,000 machines in the country. 

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