Kiss the machine

Forget the poker faces and shades, your spinning wheels of fortune, or doubling down, when it comes to the popularity of casino games, there is simply nothing to touch the slot machine.

Online or land-based, and across the thousands and thousands of different themes, slot machines are the most popular casino games.

Easy to play, but available in a range of denominations and gameplay formats, slot machines continue to be enduringly popular with punters at Sun International casinos and beyond. They are a focal point of Sun International’s Slots Royale nationwide gaming tournament and limited-payout machines are also housed in non-casino environments through the company’s Sun Slots arm. It is estimated that slot machines account for 70% of games in casinos across the globe – as well as 70% of casino space.

So how did these machines overrun the gaming landscape? Well, the predecessor of the modern slot machine, a poker machine, looked more like ye olde cash register than an apparatus of amusement. Costing a nickel per play, it was a rudimentary machine with five drums and 50 playing cards to line up winning hands. That trademark peal of good fortune would come much, much later and unlike today’s sophisticated machines, winnings were paid out at the bar, either in cash or in drinks and snacks.

The first slot machine saw the light of day a few years later. Called the Liberty Bell, as three bells signalled the largest payout, it was invented by San Francisco mechanic Charles August Fey. It featured an automatic payout mechanism and three reels instead of drums. When slot machines were banned in the early 1900s in the USA, the Liberty Bell continued to be a mainstay, using the fruit symbols now associated with slot machines and chewing gum payouts.

Today, of course, with the rise of online gaming, machines feature multiple reels, unconventional layouts, and a wide variety of themes and symbols. Complete with bonus rounds and game features, they have more in common with coin-operated arcade games than slot machines of old. Try the range at SunBet for an immersive gaming experience par excellence. 

With all the changes in technology, slot machines haven’t quite been able to shed the plethora of superstitions associated with them, from tapping screens to changing seats and upping the stakes on a hot streak. Sadly, unless you’ve been directly involved in programming the machine, you’re going to have to rely on a healthy slice of good fortune.

But while conquering the slots is an exercise based purely on luck, there are a few things to bear in mind to make the most of your gaming adventure:

Be a responsible punter. Set your limit and stick to it, avoiding going over the stake you have in mind.

With so many themes that cater to virtually every taste, you’d be wise to choose one you really enjoy.

Consider playing slot machines with smaller jackpots – they tend to pay out more frequently.

Look out for slot machines with bonus features and take full advantage of free spins to maximise your chances of winning.