Slot machines or ‘one-armed bandits’ as they are still referred to by many are something of an institution in the UK and around the world. The sight of men and women sitting in front of slot machines filling them with a seemingly endless supply of loose change is a familiar one in casinos everywhere. For all the glamour and prestige of playing games on casino tables, slot machines remain the most popular gambling method and constitute something in the region of 70 percent of the average US casino’s income.
The basic concept of how slot machines operate and how users win has not changed all that much over the years. The principle of the machine paying out based on patterns of symbols visible on the front of the machine when it stops has stood the test of time in that it has satisfied generations of users. But the influence of television and sports has given rise to a new generation of slot machine, ones with a themed tie-in. The ‘fruit machine’ style slots have been joined and, in many instances, surpassed in popularity by slot machines based on a favourite TV game show or a sport.
It demonstrates that consumers are no longer content with simply playing, and winning, on any old slot machine. Visitors to casinos and betting shops, and virtual gamblers want to be entertained by the theme of the slots they are playing. TV game shows were the first new-age slot machines to re-capture gamblers’ attention, and it is not hard to see why. The enduring appeal of games like ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ and ‘Deal or No Deal’ to TV viewers across the nation and, in some cases internationally, was always likely to be a winning formula as a theme for slot machines. Encapsulating the game’s format within the confines of a slot machine and giving players the chance to participate in the games they watch and love on TV, but with the added opportunity to win a cash prize at the end of it has given them an extra dimension.
The emergence of sports as a theme for slot machines has met with similar success and will ensure that gamblers continue to use slot machines for years to come. The synergy between sports and gambling has always been there and people have been placing bets on sporting events for hundreds of years. Whether it is a weekly wager on a predicted match score, or just a one-off flutter on a big annual event like the Grand National, people get a buzz from betting on sports. Win or lose, there is an anticipation and excitement at having something extra riding on the outcome of a result. Sports and slot machines were an obvious match because it gives players the chance to enter a world of virtual sports gaming at any time. They can take the place of a well-known sports personality and have a go at recreating one of their accomplishments, all with the incentive of a win at the end of it.
In much the same way as with TV-themed slots, players will find a sporting slot machine that they particularly like and play it again and again. Enjoyment will always be linked to success, but the fact is that sports-themed slots have revitalised slot machines and made them genuinely fun to play again.
