There are thousands of online slots sites listed on the internet which makes one wonder where did the madness of slot machines begin. Gambling has been around practically forever with a lot of its roots in China. It's uncertain where some games of changes got their start, but this is not the case with the very popular one-armed bandits.

Online slots actually find their roots in American history. A man by the name of Charles Fey created the prototype form of this game all the way back in 1887 in San Francisco, California. The game started out with three wheels, as is still commonly seen today and each wheel held 10 symbols.

The top jackpots paid came with a match of three bells, eventually leading this machine to be known as the "Bell" machine. The machine came with a lever on the side which was used to get the three wheels spinning. Here we find the beginnings of the "one-armed bandits" nickname.

In 1910, things began to change for the spreading "Bell" machine. Fey partnered with another man by the name of Herbert Mills. This teaming led to the still common fruit symbols being used today. These machines were produced by the thousands and weighed in at more than 100 pounds each.

Now that we know a little about the background of slot machines, what brought on the current internet slot craze? There's one word for it - simplicity. No longer are casinos using the slot machine as something to keep the wives or girlfriends busy while the men play the so called real games.

To add the simplicity of getting to online slots in seconds over the internet makes the game even more appealing for even the most lazy people. No longer having to fight traffic, parking, crowds, and noise can make the simple gambler's life extremely easy.

But are the internet slots as trustworthy as the traditional physical machines? Caution is needed but, in general, it's a pretty good bet that they are. Most online slots today use a thing called a random number generator (RNG). As the name implies, the RNG is used to randomly select what symbols will surface on each simulated wheel face.

One-armed bandits have come a long way in converting to one-click wonders and they seem to be as here to stay as their physical counterparts. The choices for online slots abound with almost no limit.

Did You Know?
In the late 1800s coin operated devices with large revolving wheels first appeared. They were divided into segments of different colors. A player would bet on which color the wheel would stop on. These devices were the precursors of today's slot machines.

Most quality sites make it fairly easy to find their payback percentage. Keeping that in mind, searching for slot machines that are visually appealing, audibly interesting, and overall enjoyable can be as entertaining as the game itself.

Let thanks be given to Mr. Fey. For without him thousands of sites would cease to have any purpose. Without him, casinos would probably never have experienced the success that they have. Without Charles Fey, millions today would never have the chance to jump back in their chairs at home and say, "Jackpot!"