Introduction to free online pokies
Online casinos give you a great opportunity to gamble at any time of the day or night on your PC or mobile device. You can make a deposit or withdraw your winnings by using a variety of payment systems. Plus, you have access to a huge selection of slots to meet all tastes. Online casinos take good care of gamblers. Major gambling sites are constantly monitoring the igaming market to bring the newest game releases to their loyal audience.
Playing at an online casino is a great way to learn new things, experience vivid emotions, and enjoy your gambling hobby. Gamblers can play for free without registration or for real money. Modern online pokie games feature high-quality graphics, excellent soundtracks, generous special symbols, and exciting bonus games that help you score massive wins. Major online casinos have a truly big selection of top-of-the-range slot titles, including Book of Ra, Starburst, Aztec Gold, Lucky Lady's Charm, and thousands of other slot machines for free and for real money. On top of that, online casinos provide slot fans with a bunch of bonuses, including VIP bonuses, welcome bonuses, cashback bonuses, and more.
A brief history of slot machines
The biggest event in the history of slots took place in 1898 when the 3-reel Liberty Bell slot machine was invented by Charles August Fey. The new device became popular in a blink of an eye. Back then, the industrial revolution was in full swing, and people were experimenting with all kinds of automated mechanisms.
Before the tremendous success of Liberty Bell, Fey had designed less popular semi-automatic slot machines. Those devices could be found at bars and pubs and resembled a cash register. Along with the now iconic Liberty Bell, there was another popular invention, the Horseshoe disc lottery slot machine. The device was using the patented winning-generation mechanism which is still used in physical slots in Vegas, Macau, and other gambling destinations.
Charles Fey’s breakthrough creation was improved by Harbert Mills. Fey did not have the time to patent his Liberty Bell, and Mills took advantage of that. Plus, he made some improvements to the iconic slot machine. For example, he came up with fruit symbols which make an integral element of classic slot machines to this day.
As for modern-looking slot machines, they were built by the engineers of the US company Bally Manufacturing. For example, the 1963 Money Honey slot machine used an electric drum, hopper relay, backlight and sound speakers. Since then, machines have become multi-coin and some of them even came with progressive jackpots. The new slot machines boasted a vibrant interface which gave a unique mythical feel to the games. By the way, slot machines are still associated with luxury and well-being.
In 1976, the first electronic online slot machines entered the gambling scene. That hallmark event marked the beginning of a new era in the history of gambling. The new games were computer-operated. Instead of the familiar mechanical reels, they had a screen with colorful symbols, buttons, and arrows. In 1994, Microgaming presented their first online gaming platform which gave a start to online casinos.
Modern online slot machines
In 1976, a brand new computer-controlled slot machine made its fabulous debut at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. The mechanical reels were replaced by a 19-inch Sony Trinitron screen. The slot was named Fortune Coin after the company that manufactured it. Later, the slot was bought by IGT, a US-based igaming giant. This is how gamblers were introduced to stunning video slots that could hold a candle to video games.
With the rapid spread of high-speed Internet, more and more gamblers were getting the opportunity to play online video slots. Microgaming was the first casino software brand to see the potential of online games. In 1994, the brand released the Cash Splash pokie machine which was meant exclusively for online use. Despite their popularity, in the 90s online pokie games accounted for less than 20% in the global gaming business. Luckily, that number was growing at a lightning-fast speed. Between 2005 and nowadays, the share of online slot machines in the gambling industry increased 10-fold.
How to play pokie machines online for free
Slot machines are known under a variety of names, such as slots, slot simulators, slot machine emulators, video slots, and pokie slots. An online slot is a computer program which is based on the random number generator. Slot machines have always been very popular with both professional players and casino rookies.
Slot machines have amazingly simple rules. The player’s main goal is to score a winning combination of identical symbols. Identical symbols can form a horizontal, vertical or even zigzag line, depending on the slot. Packed with generous bonus games and other profitable features, new video games boost your winning chances, giving you more opportunities to land juicy wins. The most popular bonus features in slots include free spins, bonus rounds, risk games, and special symbols.
Each slot has a unique suite of bonus features and other extras. Before playing a pokie game, be sure to familiarize yourself with the slot’s characteristics and features in order to get an understanding of what to expect during the game.
Advantages of free online slot machines
The very first physical slot machines were only available in real-money mode. To spin the reels, you needed to throw a coin into the machine. However, with the invention of online slots, you can now play for free. Free slot machines are super popular among gamblers. Did you know that four out of five people prefer to play slot machines for free? Since you can’t play for free at land-based casinos, most gamblers were quick to switch from offline to online gambling - and we can hardly blame them for that!
Slot manufacturers are using demo mode to promote their devices. By playing in demo mode, gamblers can get acquainted with the slot and get the gist of its rules before risking real money on it.
Online slots have had a major influence on the gambling community. Now casino fans can access thousands of gambling sites that work around the clock. Visit any online casino and play any slot for free or for real money from the comfort of your home!