Here’s Why You Find Fruit Machines in Lots of Pubs
Even though many of them have closed in recent years due to various reasons, pubs remain a key part of British culture and heritage. They’re social venues where people come to mix with others, enjoy a good drink and meal or even try their luck at fruit machines.
Pubs are a big part of British culture. © Alex_Svenson, Pixabay
A Brief History of Fruit Machines
First of all, we’ll look at fruit machines and explain how they work. It all started back in 1891 with Sittman and Pitt of New York, who created the very first gambling machine.
Based on poker, it had five drums holding a total of 50 cards. Players had to pull a lever to spin the drums, and if they got a poker hand that was good enough, they would win.
Standard decks of cards have 52 cards in total. The two that were missing from the first poker gaming machine were the Ten of Spades and Jack of Hearts. This greatly reduced the chances of getting a royal flush.
Because technology at the time was limited, the machines couldn’t give cash payouts. If you win, your prize was something from the bar, e.g. a free beer, a cigar or something similar.
The Earliest Slots
In 1894, Charles Fey, a mechanic in San Francisco, created a simple gambling machine. This one had three drums and five symbols: diamonds, hearts, horseshoes, spades and the Liberty Bell. It thus became known as the Liberty Bell.
This game, the earliest version of the slot, became hugely popular throughout the US and beyond. Soon, there was a fruit-themed version where the symbols on the drums were fruits.
This game is where the term’ fruit machine’ came from. When someone played one of these games, they would win fruit-flavoured chewing gum. This was to avoid gambling laws in various US states.
Fast forward to 1963, when Bally Technologies developed the first electronic slot machine. This new type of slot took off, and older machines with levers became less popular over time.
Throughout the rest of the 1960s, electronic slots started appearing in the UK. Many of them still had a fruit theme. However, due to gambling laws at the time, they weren’t allowed in pubs.
Fruit Machines in Pubs
Trevor Carter, who was the co-founder of a company called Carfield Engineers Ltd, came up with an idea. He introduced the nudge button, which players could use to move a reel and have more chances of winning.
With the nudge, and later the hold feature where reels could be held while others span, fruit machines were no longer games of chance. They were instead games of skill. Because of this, they were allowed in pubs.
Naturally, fruit machines quickly became a staple of pubs. They were in high demand because they provided a form of entertainment and gave people another reason to visit pubs and spend time there.
Pub fruit machines have changed significantly over the decades since they first started appearing. Nowadays, many of the electronic slot games you find in pubs aren’t even themed to fruits.
The online slots you find at the best slot casinos come in an endless range of themes. This is true for physical slot games too. Having different themes helps to make these games more appealing.
Over time, gambling laws changed, and nowadays, you can find all sorts of gambling games in pubs, not just fruit machines. Pubs with gambling games need to follow the rules established by the UK Gambling Commission.
These include only operating the games during hours when the venue is licensed to serve alcohol and making sure under-18s don’t play games that involve real-money gambling.
Why Do Pubs Have Fruit Machines?
Pubs have always been sociable venues where you can eat, drink and be merry. So why did they start introducing fruit machines? The answer is simple: it gives customers more to do.
Pubs are known for offering food and drink, but they typically have a lot more: as well as fruit machines, there could be a pool table or two, TVs showing popular sports and a darts board, for example.
All of these encourage people to visit their local pub and spend time there. If a pub didn’t have any form of entertainment available, it might struggle to attract enough customers and generate enough revenue.
How Do Fruit Machines Work?
Unfortunately, the early fruit machines that came to Britain in the 1960s aren’t that common anymore. This is because more modern and sophisticated gaming units that let you play online slots have replaced them.
Traditional fruit machines have a lot in common with the video slots you play at online casinos. You win by landing enough matching symbols on a payline, and there may be bonus rounds that will trigger when certain symbols land.
To play, first you’ll have to pay, which you can do by entering coins or notes into the appropriate slots. Many gaming units let you pay by card or even contactless.
After doing this, press the button to spin the reels. Each reel has a nudge button that lets you move the reel up or down one space to help create winning combinations.
There’s also the hold button, which lets you hold one or more reels in place while the others spin. Bear in mind that not all fruit machines in pubs have nudge and hold buttons.
The most common type of bonus round is free spins, where you get to spin the reels a number of times without paying. There’s also the mini-game, which adds an element of fun and interactivity to the gaming experience.
Tips for Playing Pub Fruit Machines
Now you know how to play pub fruit machines, we’ll give you some useful tips to help you get the most out of playing these games. Check them out below:
- Come up with a budget and stick to it. When playing any type of real-money gambling game, only spend money you can afford to lose. Don’t go over your budget and consider placing small bets to make your money last longer.
- Don’t chase your losses. You’re more likely to lose than win, so expect this to happen. Treat any wins as a bonus. If you keep on losing, don’t think a win will come around eventually because it might not.
- Know how the game works. Pub fruit machines are easy to play, but it’s still worth understanding how they work before you start playing. Look at the paytable and read the rules so you know what’s going on.
- Take breaks. It can be tempting to play for ages, but it’s always best to have frequent breaks. Pubs have a lot to offer, so don’t just focus on the fruit machine. Taking a break can refresh your mind and reduce the risk of making impulsive decisions.
- When the fun stops, stop playing. Fruit machines are meant to be fun. If they’re affecting you negatively or you don’t feel good playing them, go and do something else instead.
Follow these tips and you should have a great time playing fruit machines in pubs. Remember to gamble in moderation and focus on the fun side of the experience, not the money.
