Every slot machine tells a story through its symbols. These iconic images started their path in 1894 when San Francisco mechanic Charles Fey created the first slot machine. The symbols that players see today come from a rich history of gambling innovation, legal restrictions, and clever adaptations. These symbols have survived well into the 21st century, with digital casino sites using the same symbols for online slot machines. They can even be seen on sweepstake casinos, which are sites that allow players to gamble without depositing any money (source: sweep-slots.net).
We’ll show you more about slot symbols and why they are significant to these games.
Origins of fruit symbols
Fruit symbols marked a turning point in slot machine history during Prohibition. Gambling establishments faced strict laws, which pushed slot manufacturers to adapt their machines to fruit-flavored gum dispensers. Old casino records show that players won specific gum flavors when they matched fruit combinations on the reels.
A cherry match earned cherry gum, while lemon symbols paid out in lemon-flavored treats. This practice faded into history, but cherries, lemons, oranges, plums, and watermelons stayed as permanent fixtures on slot machines. Each fruit now carries its payout value, with cherries often worth the most among the fruit family of symbols.
Classic bar symbol evolution
The bar symbol started as the Mills Novelty Company’s gum pack logo. Its rectangular shape caught on with players, who nicknamed it “the bar.” The symbol proved so popular that manufacturers created new versions.
Single bars offered basic wins, double bars doubled the excitement, and triple bars brought the biggest bar-based payouts. This simple design transcended its humble origins to become one of gambling’s most recognized icons.
Modern slots still feature these bar combinations, which pay out at different levels based on their configuration.
The power of seven and the liberty bell
The number seven earned its place on slot reels through centuries of cultural significance. Ancient societies viewed seven as a divine number, and this belief carried into gambling. Three sevens lined up means maximum payouts on most machines. The bell symbol shares an equally important legacy.
Fey chose the Liberty Bell for his first machine, and its success made the bell a mandatory symbol for other manufacturers. Today’s games still feature bells as mid-tier winning symbols, a direct link to slot machine origins.
Special symbol revolution
Video slot technology brought new symbols that changed gameplay rules. Wild symbols took inspiration from card game jokers, as substitutes for other symbols to form winning lines. Players learned to watch for these versatile symbols, which often turned near-misses into solid wins.
Scatter symbols broke traditional payline rules with their ability to count anywhere on the screen. Three or more scatters unlocked bonus rounds and free games, which added new excitement to standard slot play.
Premium symbols and jackpots
Diamond symbols shine on slot machines as beacons of big rewards. These premium symbols, plus treasure chests and gold bars, tap into dreams of instant wealth. Game creators place these valuable symbols at specific reel positions to build excitement.
Players pulse with anticipation when high-value symbols appear, as each one might lead to a substantial payout. The biggest wins often come from combinations of these premium symbols across multiple paylines.
Integration of modern symbols
Today’s slot machines mix traditional symbols with elements from entertainment culture. Movie characters share screen space with classic fruits, while television icons spin alongside lucky sevens.
Yet the original symbols maintain their special status on casino floors. They connect modern digital games to mechanical slot origins, as fresh generations of players discover the thrill of matched symbols and jackpot wins.
Each spin carries the potential for these iconic images to align into winning combinations, just as they did over a century ago when Fey’s first machine chimed its victory bell in 1894.
