Pokies can be classified as the youngest games. However, we can not call them the young because the first models were born a century ago. Slot machines have been bumpy, from primitive mechanical devices to complex computer programs.
Currently, the network has many new games of this kind. Every famous casino offers at least hundreds of pokies. Many gambling websites have thousands. They are especially popular with customers.
But back to the history of pokie machines.
First Pokie Machines
Pokie machines are approximately 120 years old. With so little (in historical terms) age, it is not surprising that the inventor of the first pokies is perfectly known to everyone interested in their history.
Charles Fey, a German immigrant, initially lived in New Jersey before relocating to California. He is often referred to as the father of pokies.
When Fey was about twenty years old, doctors discovered he had tuberculosis and claimed he would not live for a year. However, he not only lived for many years but also became a legend in the gambling world.
In 1887, Charles constructed the first pokie machine. It was called Liberty Bell and consisted of three reels with twenty symbols, such as:
- bells,
- horseshoes,
- stars,
- and card suits.
They formed paid-out combinations. The pokie was a resounding success, and within a few years, mass production of Liberty Bell pokies was established.
Fey was not only a talented engineer but also a successful businessman.
He gave pokies to rent at 50% of the profits they bring. He consistently refused to sell machines or grant the right to produce them, despite receiving great offers from all the major casino equipment manufacturers.
In 1907, he began working with the Mills Novelty Company, resulting in the creation of a new pokie machine called the Mills Liberty Bell. Later, a model was developed into Operator Bell. Its popularity is proven by the fact that it has sold more than 30,000 copies.
In 1891, in Brooklyn, Sittman and Pitt developed their version of the pokie machine. It was based on the principles of poker, and the payments were made for the fallen poker hands. Some researchers think that this was the first slot.
Significant changes in the structure and design of pokie machines were made in the 1930s of the twentieth century.
- First, annoying bells that announced wins were removed from all pokies.
- Secondly, they had a double jackpot.
The design also became more attractive and varied. New models were the following:
- Lion Head,
- Roman Head,
- War Eagle,
- and Castle Front.
They were pretty popular too.
Pokie Machine Boom
Pokies became popular in the forties. They appeared in almost all casinos. At first, among women, husbands, and companions who prefer to try their luck in the traditional card and table games of chance. A few years later, pokies brought the highest profit to the casino.
The first electromechanical pokies, known as Big Bertha, emerged in the 1950s. They were equipped with an engine capacity of five horsepower. Each of the eight drums had twenty characters, and the return on the slot was 80%. These pokies accepted coins of higher denomination, making them attractive for high rollers.
Automatic Money Honey from Bally Technologies became the first fully electronic pokie machine. He appeared in casinos in 1963.
The Birth of Electronic Pokies
In 1980, Sircoma made a real revolution in this area by releasing equipped computers for video poker. This model marked the beginning of the modern gaming machine era. The creation of random number generators increased the trust of players in pokies—gradually modified principles of customer service, receiving money, making payouts, and so on.
| Name | Return to player | Max payout | Variance | Soft | ||
| 99.07% | x1000 | Low |
|
Play | |
| 99% | x12075 | High |
|
Play | |
| 98.98% | x3843 | Middle |
|
Play | |
| 98.72% | — | — |
|
Play | |
| 98.67% | — | — |
|
Play | |
| 98.6% | x670 | Low |
|
Play | |
| 98.18% | — | Low |
|
||
| 98.13% | x15000 | High |
|
Play | |
| 98.12% | x10000 | High |
|
Play | |
| 98.12% | x500 | Low |
|
Play | |
| 98.11% | x1500 | High |
|
Play | |
| 98.11% | x7500 | — |
|
Play | |
| 98.1% | x2500 | — |
|
Play | |
| 98.1% | x2500 | — |
|
Play | |
| 98.08% | x10000 | High |
|
Play |
Pokies were among the first games offered by online casinos. Currently, there are thousands of them. It seems that in today's world, no significant cultural event has its pokie machine.
Plenty of pokies are available in the best casinos from the top 10, according to Casinoz.
