In order to really understand the nature of the jackpot online slot industry’s rampant popularity these days it is important to go back to the very start and realize what it was that the earliest slots were giving to gamblers that they couldn’t get from other games. For one, slot machines immediately dispensed the need for a dealer, something that meant that gamblers could play at their own pace, and without the distraction of another human being. This was the main reason why so many gamblers began spinning the reels of the slot machines found in the corners of saloons and bars in the 19th Century. However, there was one main problem, and this was that the earliest slot machines didn’t actually pay out any money at all, with the prizes coming in the shape of a free drink or cigar at the bar. Early slot machines, therefore, had a distinct disadvantage back then when paired against games like Blackjack or Roulette, but all that was set to change.
Charles D. Fey’s Liberty Bell slot machine is widely recognized as being the world’s first true jackpot slot, because as a result of the Californian’s innovations, these machines actually paid out coins from the bottom. This was the start of the gambling fascination with jackpot slots, as people far and wide dreamed of being the ones to be lucky enough to be on the receiving end of a winning spin. Slot developers quickly realised the commercial potential of this too, and it didn’t long for slot jackpots to get bigger and bigger. The most famous example surely has to be that of the Las Vegas Megabucks machines, gambling consoles found in the state of Nevada that have paid out well over 10 million dollars on several different occasions. Read ahead for a complete jackpot slots explained article that will answer any questions you may have.
The history of the jackpot
Right, if you really want to know the ins and outs of jackpot slots it undeniably pays to know a bit about the history of these things, as it can give a valuable insight into the jackpot slot of today. As we already mentioned, Charles D. Fey’s Liberty Bell slot machine is generally regarded as the first true jackpot slot, mainly because it actually paid out real money as oppose to a free drink.
This was released back at the tail end of the 1800s, but already by the very early 20th Century there were many variations on the design. The main reason for this is that, as they were still illegal, Charles D. Fey couldn’t actually get a patent on his design, leading many people to imitate it. This wasn’t bad news for the gamblers though, because it resulted in a high level of competition that almost certainly drove up the jackpots of the earliest slots.
Jackpot slots in the 1960s
It wasn’t until the 1960s that slot machine jackpots would truly get stupendously big, but this decade resulted in the financial flowering of the slots market, meaning that developers and casinos could start giving away much more money as winnings. The cultural status of slots also changed during the 1960s, turning from a still rather obscure gambling game to one that has famed for making savvy gamblers rich, and quick.
Slot halls in Las Vegas at this time were bustling almost 24/7, something that drove casino profits up tenfold. And you know what this means don’t you? Even more money to be awarded in the form of slot jackpots. Nice.
Bonus features and the evolution of the jackpot
The slot machine market continued to grow during the 20th Century, with the jackpots on offer also rising in correlation with this too. Developers, however, weren’t about to let this growth plateau, far from it in fact. The 1980s saw the introduction of video slots, machines that could offer a vast amount more bonus features, and therefore even bigger jackpots.
This is a crucial point in the evolution of jackpots, as it meant that the journey to actually win a slot jackpot could vary a lot more than before. Whereas all it took before video slots was a high value line winning combination, now jackpots could have to be obtained via the successful navigation of an exciting bonus game.
Progressive jackpot slots: what are they?
The most popular variation of a jackpot slot is certainly a progressive jackpot slot, purely because the amount of money that you can win on these machines is monumentally big. But what is a progressive jackpot slot? Well, a progressive jackpot slot is a game in which each losing spin of the reels increases the overall prize by a small amount, and the only winning spin in each cycle takes all the money raised before that point.
Understandably this can result in quite a large amount of money, a reason for their incredible success. The first progressive jackpot machines were standalone, however technology quickly allowed them to be linked across a local network, like in the case of the Megabucks machines in Las Vegas, which are all linked together. This means that the jackpots can get seriously big, good news for us gamblers.
Modern progressive jackpot online slots
Modern progressive jackpot online slots takes this one step further, linking all games to one singular network like in the case of the Microgaming Progressive Jackpot Network. This means that anyone, anywhere, playing certain online slots will be contributing to the overall jackpot with their losing spins. All it takes is one lucky winning spin and you could win several million dollars.
The future of jackpot slots
It is never easy to predict the future, but one thing we can be certain of is that slot jackpots aren’t going to decrease any time soon. There are a record amount of gamblers turning to slots these days, so if anything the jackpots of the future could be far larger than what they are now. We look forward to it!
