Slot Machines History

Slot Machine Online Casinos

In online slot machines often simply called slots the same concept of matching up three like pictures across the screen exists. In the original slot machine you had a single payline that stretched across the center of the viewing window from left to right. There were three dials that spun inside that window and when they stopped each one had to land on the same picture. It works the same way online, but there are far more than just one payline. Instead of the single center payline, now there are dozens to choose from and you can decide which ones you want to bet on, to play them all, or just play one.

The many different online slot machine paylines gives you the chance to win more than once on a single spin, thereby upping the odds of winning considerably. Each payline will have its own payout amount, so always be sure to check the rules for the particular slot machine you are playing at the moment before you bet.

A Detailed History of Slot Machines

We've given you a quick rundown of how slots came to be, but there's obviously a lot more to it. We're going to cover everything, but before we go any further into our history lesson about how Canada's top online slots came into being, we need to run through some common terminology. Like any gambling endeavour, there are some quirky turns of phrase in the slots world so it's important to take note of the most common:


• Basic Slots - A game that contains only one win line.
• Bet Max - A button that automatically places the maximum wager.
• Coins Size - The amount each coin or bet is worth. A coin can have a value as low as $0.01.
• Free Spins - A bonus that gives players a fixed amount of free spins.
• Hot Slots - A game that's ready to payout a big win.
• Jackpot - This is the game's top prize and can either be fixed or progressive (continually increasing).
• Lines - Called win lines or pay lines, this is a straight line across the reels which denotes a win/loss. A single game can have multiple win lines spread out in different directions.
• Multiplier - An online slots bonus that increases the size of a win by a fixed amount.
• Nudge - A feature that moves the reels of a live slot machine up or down.
• Reels - The image filled objects that rotate/spin and dictate the game.
• Scatters - A symbol that can stretch across multiple reels and help create a winning combination.
• Symbols - The images marked on a reel. Each online slotmachine will have its own specific symbols.
• Video Slots - These are virtual incarnations of live slot machines and contain animated reels.
• Wilds - Dynamic symbols that can substitute for any other symbol in the game to help create a win.

How to Pull a Winner - A Guide to Classic 3-Reel Slot Machines

Now that we've established some sort of grounding in the ways of the slots world, let's take a look at the first incarnations of these games.

In a nutshell, live slot machines first became popular in 1887 after Charles Fey created an automated mechanism that led to the creation of his first machine. These early prototypes were 3-reeled gadgets, and by the time 1895 rolled around he'd developed the first recognised slot machine: Liberty Bell.

Kitted out with five symbols (horseshoes, spades, diamonds, hearts and a liberty bell), this game had a top jackpot (five liberty bells) of $0.50 and became a huge hit. From that point on the way in which punters wagered their money shifted and traditional table games, such as blackjack and roulette, began to experience a decline in popularity.

Late Comer to the Casino World

One interesting point to note is that classic 3-reel slots didn't hit the big time in the live casino world until long after they were invented. Instead, cigar shops, bowling alleys and bars became the staple venues for these new games. Indeed, this trend continued across the world as fruit machines, as they're known in the UK, and slots, as Canadians call them, sprung up in drinking holes and leisure facilities and brought a whole new demographic into the gambling community.

As 3-reel games increased in popularity they soon evolved into video reincarnations of themselves thanks to Bally Technologies. After experimenting with electro-mechanics for a number of years the development company eventually launched Money Honey in 1963.

This industry breakthrough gave slot machines, or video slots as they became known, enough momentum to finally break through into the casino world. To this day, video slots are now the most numerous games inside major casinos across the US, Canada and Europe.

Coming to Grips with Three Reels

So how do you play 3-reel slots and its digital cousin?

Basically, the main aim of the game is to make a minimum wager, pull the "spin" arm (or hit the "spin" button) and wait for the rotating reels to come to a halt. If you're able to match three identical symbols a corresponding prize is stored in the bank or paid out underneath the main interface.

In the early days of slots there was only a single win line and players couldn't adjust the amount they wagered. However, as the industry developed and 5-reel online slots came into being, the range of gaming options increased dramatically and brought new dimensions to the process of making bets.

The Evolution of 5-Reel Online Slot Machines

Where once the slotmachine world was a fairly mundane affair with three reels spinning in unison, the current climate is now a matrix of whirling images and win lines splaying off in countless directions.

Thanks to the growth of online gaming in countries such as Canada, slot machines now typically boast five reels and multiple win lines. With this ability to place more wagers comes a slew of additional benefits, including adjustable bet sizing, in-game bonuses as well as wild scatter symbols.

The one major advantage multi-line slots have over 3-reel games is that it's easier to spin in a win. For this reason operators have been able to create games that have a greater range of prizes so that novice gamers and pros can each have an enjoyable and potentially lucrative gaming experience.

Interactive Extras

Not only do modern online slots now boast even more payout potential and betting options, but they contain much more intricate detail. From embedded video clips to 3D images and quirky animations, online slot machines are now complete entertainment experiences. Indeed, if you consider Playtech's popular title, The Dark Knight Rises, you'll see that not only does it contain clips from the movie, but a 3D fight between Batman and Bane right in front of your eyes.

Learning to Control Multiple Actions

Of course, with more gaming options comes more complexity and while it's not difficult to wrap your head around the latest games, there are a few things you need to know.

The main thing you need to be aware of when playing multi-line online slots at any Canadian casino is the number of paylines you have activated. Each separate line costs money and as you increase the number of options so too do you increase the price of each spin. Therefore, it's always important to consider your coin (bet) size before opening up every pay line possible.

This leads us onto the second consideration when you're playing these games: your bets. Modern online slot machines give you the ability to adjust the size of the coin you're betting and the number of coins.

For example, you can usually adjust the size of your coin (bet) to any size between $0.01 and $1. On top of this you can specify how many coins you're willing to bet per win line e.g. five coins per line.

So, if your coin size is $1 and you bet five coins per line, you'd be risking $5 per line. This number then gets multiplied by the number of win lines you have activated and, thus, forms your overall stake, which is why you must always take this into account when playing multi-line games.

Get Lost in a World of Bonuses

Another aspect of modern slot gaming you need to be familiar with is bonus games. Offering slightly different options depending on the game you're playing, bonus rounds will ask you to do something and reward you with free spins and cash prizes if you're successful.

Unlocking a bonus game is usually done by hitting a certain combination of symbols and once inside you'll generally have to perform a task, such as guess the value of a card or pick a mystery box, until your time runs out.

During bonus rounds it's possible to win free spins which usually have the added luxury of a multiplier being attached to them. This basically means that any cash you win during a free spins round will be multiplied by a certain amount (usually up to 10X).

Overall, online slots are now much more detailed than they once were. Indeed, while the essence of the original game created by Charles Fey is still there, they ways in which the action goes down is a lot more complex and engaging.

Progressive Online Slot Machines - The Route to Seven-Figure Jackpots

The one area of huge growth in slot machine history is the progressive jackpot market. Taking the multi-line format and injecting it with prizes regularly exceeding seven figures, these games are the go-to option for professional slotters.

The main idea behind progressive jackpot slot is a collective effort. By linking players on a network across a single game, the amount of prize money on offer can reach epic proportions. On a basic level, progressive jackpot slot machines take a small percentage of each player's stake and store it in a central prize pot. This money then builds up over time until a player hits the jackpot combination.

Because thousands of players enjoy these games every hour the rate at which the jackpot grows is staggering. This means a single winning spin can be worth in excess of $1 million. Indeed, the largest online slots win to date topped CAD$10 million.

Breaking Down Random Number Generators

Now we know that online slots have a long history and a wealth of money-making opportunities built into them, it's important to ascertain how safe they are.

Fortunately, the answer to this question is simple: every online casino and slots operator has to hold a valid gaming licence. Designed to ensure customers are kept safe at all times, the industry's various governing bodies force online sites to abide by a set of strict code of conduct. One of the main requirements is that the online casino's random number generator (RNG) has to be checked and verified by a third-party tester.

An RNG is a computer algorithm that creates random outcomes on a consistent basis, which, in the case of online slots, means different symbols appear on the reels in an unpredictable way.

Without going too far into how an RNG makes these calculations (it basically generates values between 0 and 4 billion before randomly creating a set of numbers from these calculations), the main idea is that this software makes every slot machine game fair.

Moreover, to ensure every regulated online casino has a truly random algorithm, companies such as eCOGRA carry out extensive tests on a regular basis. If a site passes these independent tests, they get a licence. If they don't then they must justify their actions to the appropriate gambling commission and, either, fix the problem or cease trading.

So, if you're a Canadian playing at one of our regulated casinos and you're worried about being cheated, you shouldn't be.

Payout Percentages Explained

The final area we need to look at in our tour of slot machine history is, arguably, the most important: payout percentages. The main reason we all love slotmachines is because they represent a great way to make money, but the one thing you need to remember is that not all games are created equal.

Every machine, whether it's real or virtual, will have an overall payout percentage that it's programmed to live by. In reality, this means that some games are slightly more profitable than others. Although every game has to fall within certain parameters, there are some on the market that will spin in wins more often than others. For example, Retro Reels Extreme Heat has an RTP (Return to Player) of 97.5%, whereas Alaxe in Zombieland has an RTP of 98.6%.

In simple terms, RTP means the percentage of a player's stake that will be returned to them in the long-run. So, in the case of Alaxe in Zombieland, the expected return on a $1 wager over the long-term (basically, thousands of spins) is $0.986.

Although the effects of a game's RTP will not be present over the course of a single session, the difference in returns between two games will become obvious if you play them side-by-side for an extended period. Therefore, if you're a Canadian that's looking to make a pocketful of cash playing online slots, you need to take note of each game's RTP before you ante-up.

Final Thoughts

There's no two ways about it, online slot machines are fantastic games. As we've shown through our look at slot machine history, these games came from humble beginnings to become veritable behemoths in the online casino world. So, if you're looking for a great way to make some quick cash, check out some of our top online slots recommendations.