The other Liberty Bell

Slot machines today that are operated by an arm that “spins” the reels are only presented like that for tradition's sake.  They have in fact long been run through an internal computer and a random number generator (RNG) to ensure random results and favorable advantage to the house.  Slot machines you will find today will often have a button with the word “spin” on it, and a monitor will televise the play’s results.  There is no doubt that the game and its technology have swollen since Charles Fey’s 1890’s prototype.  What is widely considered to be the first slot machine was designed by this German mechanic in San Francisco, California.  

While today’s slot machines show many different symbols and pictures to signify a winning, the main picture of Fey’s machine was a reproduction of the well known Liberty Bell that sits in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Three of these bells would produce a jackpot.  The original machine can still be found at Belle Saloon & Restaurant in Reno, Nevada.  It is interesting to see that some symbols, like the cherries, have not lost their appeal through time to today’s modern machines.  Equally peculiar to see is how the sticks of gum that are painted on the original reels have matured into today's “Bar” illustrations.