Through the years, slot machines have become increasingly popular, allowing players to enjoy hours of fun whilst having the possibility to win cash prizes at the exact same time. From the historical 'One-Armed Bandit' to the video slots that occupy a big section of many online casinos today, these games have witnessed a surge in popularity throughout the world.

The following article shall discuss the history of these machines and their progression from land-based games to internet gaming sensations.

The very first slot machine even as we might know it today may be traced back to around 1891. Described as the 'One-Armed Bandit', this slot was invented in New York by Sittman and Pitt. With five drums acting as reels as well as a lever on the side to set them off, it had 50 card symbols to land. As will be the case with modern fruit machine slots, they were commonly used in bars nationally.

Not a long time after the invention of the 'One-Armed Bandit', the very first automatic slot was invented by a man called Charles Fey in California, in 1895. With just three reels, this slot was widely regarded as running on a lot simpler mechanism and only had five reel symbols.

Named the Liberty Bell, this first automatic slot may be seen as being an influencer for some modern video slots today that still use three reels as well as a minimal amount of symbols.

Fruit symbols have long been linked to slots which perhaps stems from 1907 and the invention of Herbert Mills's slot machine. Called the Operator Bell, Herbert Mills created it to rival that of Charles Fey.

Regardless of the evolution of slot machines and reel symbols being comprised of just about anything, many video slots still decide to use classic fruit symbols. The likes of Double Bubble, one of the most popular video slots around, draws on classic features and symbols while still providing players with a modern spinning experience.

In 1963, Bally Manufacturing managed to produce a slot without a side-mounted lever. As the first electromechanical slot machine, it could reward coins automatically without an attendant to help. Called Money Honey, this slot machine paved the way for electronic games of the future.

Although Bally Manufacturing managed to bring electronic functionality to the slots scene around 13 years earlier, the first real video slots were invented in the mid-70s in California. Fortune Coin Co developed video slot technology in 1976, mounting a display on a slot machine cabinet and gaining approval from the Nevada State Gaming Commission.

The video slots we know today and their place in gaming may be traced back to the 1990s and the launch of the first safe online slot casinos. In 1994, the first online casino launched featuring a wide selection of video slots to play.

There are currently hundreds of online casinos at which to play thousands of video slots. They are provided by a range of software suppliers and appear to span across all kinds of categories and genres.

The chances to win huge cash sums are ever-present, more so with the introduction of progressive slots. With these games, some are linked up to wider networks, allowing prize funds to grow at a rapid rate and regularly reaching the millions.