First – a bit of history. [1] Charles Fey of San francisco, CA is credited with the invention of the slot machine. It is believed that his first envision of the 안전놀이터 machine was in 1895 but it was not until 1897 he produced his first prototype. It has only 3 reels and they displayed a combination of five symbols – horseshoes, diamonds, spades, hearts and a Liberty Bell and the payout was determined by which symbols were revealed in a row on the machine. The “Liberty Bell” as it was called was enormously popular and therefor copied by a number of manufacturers. This new form of entertainment was given a number of creative names. It was referred to as a “slot machine” in america, a “fruit machine” in Britain, “the slots” in English Canada and “pokies” in English Australia and New Zealand. The “One Armed Bandit” was a popular phrase used as well since the originals machines operated by pulling a lever on the side of the machine and very often relieved the hapless get-rich-quick player of all of his hard earned money.
Fast forward to the 1980’s. As with most technology the inner workings of the slot machine became a computer program and when embellished with all of the bells and whistles the modern machine took shape. Those machines that were set up with around 10, 000 possible winning and losing combinations changed and increased to over 16 million possibilities.
The video slot machine changed the industry again when it dispensed with moving parts (reels) in favour of graphics. Essentially – the video slot machine was a computer game. Now the sky was the limit on how the game was presented, the amount of interaction between player and machine and bonus spin off games were incorporated into the experience.
Those who built the machines and the entrepreneurs who installed slot machines in their establishments quickly discovered the value of the “near miss” and the machines were programmed to draw attention to the near misses as an indication the big “win” would be forthcoming. Researcher Luke Clark explains the attraction of the “near miss” in Discovery Magazine. [2]
Researcher Luke Clark in the above mentioned article states: “Gambling has essentially hijacked the natural reward system…. and he adds that it’s not only gambling addicts who have to worry about being tricked by their own brains. “Importantly, our volunteers in this study were not regular or problem gamblers, and so these findings suggest that the brain may naturally respond to near misses in this way. ”
As a safe alternative [I say safe alternative with the stipulation that one plays only on sites like Pogo.com and plays without betting] there are computer gaming sites such as Pogo. com that have the most imaginative themes for their slot machine games. There are hours of entertainment available without destroying lives or lifestyle.
Here’s the thing… if you enjoy slot machines just for the entertainment value, try the fun and games online at places like Pogo. com. It is always a good laugh and one can enjoy a rainy afternoon or, if you are a Canadian and live in the great White North, pass the time when it’s -30 with a nasty wind blowing. I say this because that’s how i got started. It’s great fun”Comp” is short for complimentary, and that means exactly what you probably think it means. For wagering certain amounts with the slot machines (as well as other games, but for this example we will stay with slots), you will receive freebies from the casino. These can come in many forms. For example, you might build up credit with the casino that you can use at the slot machines whenever you like. This basically amounts to free money for you to gamble with.
The best part of all this? Well, there are two best parts, actually. The first one is that you don’t have to be a “high roller” to get the benefits of the slot club. When my wife and i first got to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we never played anything bigger than penny slots. Still, every month, we’d get mailings from the casino telling us that we had free money to play with. It wasn’t a lot of money for playing at that level, but even $5 for free is better than $0 for free.
The other best part is that, by and large, these clubs are free to join. All you need to do is go to the player’s club counter at the casino and give the worker behind the desk some information, usually your address, and show them a photo ID. You can establish your PIN right there, and your card will be in your hands in less than five minutes. Then you can start racking up the free stuff! There are a few slot clubs that do charge a fee, so you will have to decide for yourself whether or not it will be beneficial for you.