What is the oldest symbol on a slot machine?
When it comes to slot machine symbols, the most common are card symbols in three suits – diamonds, spades, and hearts – ranging from ten to ace: ten (10), Jack (J), Queen (Q), King (K), and Ace (A). Apart from these high-paying card symbols, the fortunate number seven appears frequently on the reels, but we’ll get into that later.
Then there’s the horseshoe, which looks to be one of the oldest and most admired superstition emblems, particularly when it comes to playing online slots. Of course, there’s the Liberty Bell. If you’re an experienced player, you’ll know that the first ever slot machine was called Liberty Bell, which is presumably why it became one of the most popular symbols in slot machines.
Symbols from fruit machines, bars, the number seven, and bubble gums
Despite the fact that there are millions of different slots available, what impresses us the most is that they all have the same reel symbols on them. Fruit machine symbols like cherries, melons, oranges, lemons, and grapes, for example, show often on 3-reel slot machines, regardless of the game title you choose to play. According to some reports, O.D Jennings’ Industry Novelty Company was the first to employ fruit emblems.
Slot machine manufacturers returned with fresh new symbols in the form of colorful fruits and bubble gums after a long prohibition in the early 1900s. Fun fact: During the time when slot machines were illegal in the United States, some machines gave away chewing gum as a prize to get over the prohibition.
Bell-Fruit Gum Company, one of the biggest slot producers, even included its logo as a symbol on the reels. Because it resembled a bar of gum, the emblem evolved into the slot machine bar symbol that we’re all familiar with today; who’d have guessed it stemmed from the company’s logo?
Another famous symbol, the fortunate number 7, has made an appearance on slot machine reels. It’s no surprise that the number 7 has become synonymous with joy and success across the world. It also has a unique meaning when it comes to online gambling, particularly when playing online slots. As a result, it’s the most popular playing card on numerous machines.
Don’t forget to read our previous article about Roulette!
