Slot machines are one of the most popular games at both online gambling sites and land-based casinos. It is one of the most successful games of chance since its creation and currently has thousands of varieties, from the classic slot machines to the most complex and dynamic games with varied themes.
Their history is not as old as that of other traditional casino games such as poker, blackjack or roulette, but during their existence they have been developing and adapting, not only to technological evolution, but also to prohibitions and even to war.
Slot machines were born in the United States just over 100 years ago, one of the first and most famous was the Liberty Bell, but today they are still one of the most used pastimes in many parts of the world. Precisely the name slot means “slot”, “space”, “notch” and refers to the hole where the coins are deposited. The machine “swallows” the coins, hence its widespread use.
Curious about how these fun slot machine games came about? In 1899,Charles August Fey manufactured in San Francisco the first slot machine as we know them today. It was called Liberty Bell and it worked with a mechanical system of gears that moved three drums by pulling a lever on its right side, which caused it to be nicknamed “the one-armed bandit”.
The new mechanism, with fewer results, facilitated the direct payment of cash prizes. As a curiosity, hitting three bells corresponded to the highest prize, a symbol that many models have inherited even if not for their best prize.
After the initial success of the first slot machine, a whole industry of manufacturers was created. Several companies copied the original system and began to become popular in saloons, bars, barbershops, bowling alleys and brothels. Manufacturer Herbert Mills included fruit among its symbols, which are still preserved today, and the Bell-Fruit Gum Company added its own symbol, the very famous BAR.
Machines continued to modernize in the decades that followed. Since the creation of the first online casinos in the 1990s, the development of slots has continued to grow. The first slot games were very similar to the traditional physical machines with the same number of reels and symbols.
Maybe you have doubts about them, if you have never tried to play in online casinos. Many are concerned about their safety, but others simply do not believe that no one has ever won. Well, we can tell you that there are people who have won big jackpots playing online. Some of the biggest wins have come from playing at online casinos or gambling sites, which allow users to not only play slots, they can also participate in table games and sports betting on the same platform.
Five big jackpots in online slot machines
Topping our second ranking is the Mega Moolah online slot. This slot holds the world record, as the biggest online slots jackpot ever, having handed out a total of €18,915,872 in September 2018.
How about if I tell you that the second biggest prize won on online slots was achieved by betting only 25 cents? This jackpot was also hit on the Mega Moolah slot and added no less than $17,861,000 to the winner’s bank account.
On the night of September 24, 2011, a Norwegian player won the third largest jackpot by spinning the reels of NetEnt’s Mega Fortune online slot machine and won an impressive $11,736,375!
NetEnt’s Hall of Gods is the name of the online slot that awarded the fourth highest prize. A Swedish player won a total of $7.6 million on this popular progressive slot – that’s called getting lucky!
Last but not least, the fifth biggest jackpot was won in 2009 on the Mega Moolah slot, Microgaming’s most popular online slot. The winner was a Greek player who won a total of $6 million.
Other big online prizes
If we take a look at the review of big prize winners, we also find some other interesting examples
– Raviri Pou (2016): Originally from New Zealand, Raviri Pou was able to win the Mega Moolah slot game jackpot worth $7.4 million in June 2016. He played this slot game at an online casino called Casinoland.
– DP (2016): Another memorable online casino win went to a player with the initials DP The player’s age and location were never disclosed, but we do know that this is the largest online jackpot ever won on a mobile device, as the player is known to have used an iPad. The jackpot scooped by the Zodiac online casino player was approximately $8.82 million. What makes this win so cool is that the player needed to make a $1 deposit.
– Jonathan Haywood (2015): British soldier Jonathan Haywood also made a splash when he won the jackpot at Betway Casino in October 2015. Heywood was 26 years old at the time and was able to win a staggering $13.2 million. He only needed to wager 25 pence to win.
Undoubtedly today there is a great variety of slot machines. When you enter an online slots site, the offer of games and options is so great that it is difficult to choose. Besides, since they are interactive, they provide a very different experience from the physical machines. Many online games give you the possibility to play for your money or, if you prefer, to play for the simple fact of enjoying the moment, without the need to bet anything.
