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Slot Machine Fruit Symbols

Do you love slot machines fruit symbols? As you stand there in front of a slots machine watching all the reels do their thing, have you ever wondered, why fruit? Or what any of the actual symbols might mean. We are sure that you have....and so we're going to set about answering those questions the best we can.

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Introduction: Slot Machine Fruit Symbols

Right from the very beginning, the gambling industry has been known for its steps into experimentation and innovation. In the late 1800’s the very first slots machines were invented and they were placed inside bars and clubs in New York City. In those days you couldn’t win any cash prizes. No, you had to make do with things like cigars, free drinks in the bar, fruit, chewing gum, and other nick-knacks you might find in a bar situation. In fact the bar that you see on today’s slot machine means that you have just won a piece of chewing gum.

If you would like to learn each slot symbol check out our guides to win the jackpot.

The Liberty Slot

In the earliest machines, the players would insert a coin and there were five reels that could spin in front of him. He would then pull the handle to set the wheels spinning. There were no prizes at all. One the wheels had stopped spinning, then the player simply reported the results to the bar owner. Because each bar could decide on the prizes, this led to a great deal of confusion. Finally, Charles Fey invented the first 3 reel machines. This was the famous “Liberty Slot” and it continued to pay out prizes between 1887 to 1895.

The Trade Stimulator

Now the very first “fruit” machine was the “Trade Stimulator”. It gave out prizes like candy and gum and other non-cash items. These machines quickly found a home in stores and saloons. They were particularly useful in situations where normal slots were not allowed or where gambling had been outlawed. Today’s modern vending machine is a direct descendant of these Trade Stimulators.

Slot Machine Fruit Symbols: Prizes Of Gum

The gum was a popular prize for the gamblers and the color of the bar would show you what particular flavor you had won. Some slot machine manufacturers today, still like to maintain the connection between the prizes of yesteryear and today’s offers. The company VGT has long kept the fruit symbols because of this. A respectful nod to the past if you like. Most modern slots machines are no longer based around the stories of old, but instead new fantasy games, TV shows, and movie themes. Also, prizes are now mainly cash or machine credits which can e exchanged for cash at the casino.

English Fruit Machines

In the US, term to describe these machines is “slots”. But across the waters, in the United Kingdom, these machines are still called “fruit” machines. In fact any other machine, that you can use for drinks or candies are technically vending machines, though those Brits call those types, “slot” machines. Weird!

Slot Machine Fruit Symbols: Bell Fruit Gum

Whenever you seer the bars on a modern slot machine, you know that these symbols originated all those year prior with the early slot machines. The Mills Novelty Company of Chicago, Illinois used a Bell-Fruit-Gum logo for one of its gum products that was popular in these slot machine games. Though the original Mills Novelty Company is no longer in existence, the name still continues in business use today.

For us, the most iconic symbol of all is the big fat cherry. Rip off your fruit from the money tree at the online jackpot sites!