What do slot machines like Random Runner, Jackpot 6000, Runner Runner and many hundreds more online slots have in common? Right, the Liberty Bell. This Liberty Bell looks like the golden bell that rings the bells of a church. And like cherries, watermelons and the BAR symbols, it’s popular as a symbol on slot machines. But what’s the reason behind it?
It’s simple. The “Liberty Bell” was the best paying symbol on the Liberty Bell slot machine. And this Liberty Bell slot machine is the first creation of the slot machine as we know it nowadays.
A certain Charles Fey invented the Liberty Bell slot machine in 1898. Indeed that’s more than a century ago. And also the year in which Americans went to war with the Spaniards (and made peace again), the tealight was invented and the 18 year old Wilhelmina was inaugurated as Queen of the Netherlands.
Back to the Liberty Bell slot machine.
The Liberty Bell slot machine
The Liberty Bell slot machine back in the old days was a simple 3-reel slot. A one-cent slot machine, because the throw-in was 1 dollar cent. Furthermore you could win with diamonds, hearts, spades and horseshoes. But the best paying symbol of them all was the Liberty Bell. Three times the Liberty Bell could get you win 50 times your bet.
This was quickly followed by many variations on the Liberty Bell slot machine. The real breakthrough followed in the 1940s. At that time, casino owners in Las Vegas had a problem. In the city that never sleeps women were getting bored when their men were playing roulette, craps or blackjack in the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. And that, of course, was at the expense of the time men spent at the gaming tables. Less time at the gaming tables of course means less turnover for the casino.
The smartass Bugsy Siegel, at the time owner of Flamingo Casino, had his own thoughts about it. He added the bell into slot machines. With the old Liberty Bell slot machine as a source of inspiration. The rest of the (success) story of the slot machine is known for over a century now.
Who was Charles Fey?
Charles Fey was born in 1862 in Vöhringen, Germany. After short stays in England and France he ended up in the United States. There he travelled from state to state until he ended up in California. There he earned his living with renovating and polishing cars and machines.
After that he started Western Electric Works with two partners. Among other things he started a repair service for machines and telephones. Thanks to one of his associates, Gustav F.W. Schultze, Fey first came into contact with slot machines.
Schultze was the inventor of the Horseshoe slot machine, also famous as a one armed bandit slot machine. However, it did not pay out automatically. If you won a prize, you had to bring in the staff of the bar or gambling hall where you played. Afterwards you paid them out. Then Fey thought it would be easier if the slot machine would automatically throw out the prize money.
And so he came up with an automated version of the Horseshoe slot machine. Soon, he abandoned telephones and machines and focused entirely on slot machines. In addition to repairing slots machines, he was also involved in developing his own slot machine. This was the first ever Liberty Bell slot machine.
The Liberty Bell is the symbol of American independence. According to the stories, the American people were called together in 1776 by the ringing of the bell. After that the declaration of independence was read out. If you want to know more about slot machines or read the latest news about I-gaming? Please check https://www.casinoweb.io/blog/
