In San Francisco, there were up to 3,300 Liberty Bell machines. In the early 1900s, when prohibition spread across the United States, religious leaders discouraged the public from gambling. Initially, the machines were only meant for novelty, but over time, they evolved into coin-operated gambling machines. The coin-operated mechanism became popular in casinos and saloons, where people could bet on their luck. Although his machine was not particularly innovative or aesthetically pleasing, it was still an improvement over its predecessors. The first slot machine invented by Charles Fey was referred to as the Liberty Bell, as it paid the highest payout when three bell symbols were spun in a row. These symbols are still used in slot machines today.
Unlike the original machines, Fey’s invention was a lot simpler and allowed the payouts to be automatic.įey’s slot machine used symbols instead of traditional playing cards. But the modern slot machine was actually invented between 18 by American inventor Charles Augustus Fey. Many countries claim to have invented the game, which was first known as poker machines.
The history of the slot machine is somewhat murky.
