The slot game has been around since the 1890, yes, you read right. These gambling machines have been taking over the world for 2 centuries. They may have gradually developed over the years changing in design, aesthetics and concept however, the objective never changed. The core concept of the slot game is to score a winning line. This gameplay can of course be differentiated and expanded upon depending on the type of slot players have chosen to play. But how exactly did the slot game, especially leading to the online slot version become so popular among gamblers and gaming enthusiasts. It’s best to check out our online slots today!
Enjoyment of online slots
There seems to be this notion that gambling games, especially slots can only be enjoyed for winning purposes. The idea is that non-gamblers would not find slots interesting and gamblers wouldn’t find them interesting either without the incentive of winning money. This myth has of course been completely dispelled through the popularity of free-money slots and penny slots. Slots may have become known as a moneymaking machine as times evolved, however, their essential value was and always has been for entertainment.
Slot games are alluring for a number of reasons not grounded in financial gain. For one, older slot games, often referred to as traditional slots were rather basic in their design and gameplay. They only cost a nickel to play and the main idea was to enjoy an entertaining game and maybe score a winning line. There was little in terms of concept, visuals & graphics, design and themes. The symbols tended to be rather simplistic and included fruits (namely bananas’ cherries, oranges, strawberries and limes. However, over and above the simplicity of the gaming experience; original slot machines were not designed to payout in cash. In fact the first slot machine designed by Sittman and Pitt in the 1890s were located in entertainment spots such as bars and clubs where wining paylines where paid out in drinks and cigars.
It is only in the late 19th century where more recent adaptation of slot games, specifically in relation to casinos was seen as monetary tools.
How casinos monetizing slots made them popular
Essentially playing slot games in the past was more to do with a fun night out with the boys and girls than to win a million-dollar jackpot. Although the entertainment aspect of slots has grown exponentially, so too have their monetary values. This is especially true for casinos, slots always had a winning concept attached to them since inception, and the value of the win is what has made slots today as popular as they are. Casinos, and this started with land-based casinos before the age of the internet monetized slot machines. This was clearly a tip taken from slot machine gaming developers who imbedded slot machines with better and higher RTPs. The return to player (RTP) aspect of slots gave both players and casinos incentive to monetize these games. The entertainment value also increased with the dawn of the internet and all the technology that followed. Today, slots still maintain the highest category of online games in online casinos and make up about 70-80% of an online casino’s profit margins. Slot games are also responsible for most wins in the array of available gambling activities.
