A slot machine (American English), informally fruit machine (British English), the slots (Canadian English), poker machine or "pokies" (slang) (Australian English and New Zealand English) or simply slot (American English) is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed. Slot machines are also known as one-armed banditsbecause they were originally operated by a lever on the side of the machine (the one arm) instead of a button on the front panel, and because of their ability to leave the gamer penniless (bandit). Many modern machines still have a legacy lever in addition to the button.
Slot machines include a currency detector that validates the coin or money inserted to play. The machine pays off based on patterns of symbols visible on the front of the machine when it stops. Modern computer technology has resulted in many variations on the slot machine concept. Slot machines are the most popular gambling method in casinos and constitute about 70 percent of the average casino's income.
And the second.......BJ..BlackJack!!!! Histories.
The French are usually credited for inventing Blackjack, believed to be an offshoot of French card games "chemin de fer" and "French Ferme". The game "vingt-et-un" (twenty-and-one) originated in French casinos around 1700 A.D., and migrated to the United States in the 1800's.
Vingt-et-un (21) while sounding similar to Blackjack, was actually quite different. The goal was to reach a "natural" with cards totaling 21, but the cards were dealt in rounds followed by betting on each round. Only the dealer could Double and if he got a Natural, the other players would pay him triple.
Another game which may have contributed to Blackjack as we know it is the Italian game "Seven and a Half". This game was played with only 8's, 9's, 10's and face cards, with face cards counting as the "half". The King of Diamonds was wild. This is reputed to be the first game where the player would automatically "bust" if the cards totaled over the desired number of "seven and a half".
The Spanish game "One and Thirty" had similarities to Blackjack, though the desired total was 31 rather than 21, and the game was played with 3 cards instead of 2.
| Blackjack Variations Super 7s, Spanish 21, Over Under Macintosh/Windows shareware |
Vingt-et-un crossed the ocean from Europe to America in the 1800's, and appeared in American Hoyle* in 1875 and Foster's Hoyle* in 1905. The game appeared in gambling halls in 1910, first reported in Evansville, Indiana.
Initially the game was not very popular and gambling houses tried various bonus payouts to entice players. Blackjack is so named because if a player got the Jack of Spades and the Ace of Spades as his first two cards, he received one such bonus payout. The original payout for this Blackjack was 10 to 1. Some houses recognized both the Jack of Clubs and the Jack of Spades for the 10 to 1 payout.
While a Jack is no longer specifically required and any ten-value card with an Ace now makes up a winning hand, the name Blackjack remains as a testimony to the game's origins. Casinos now traditionally offer a payout of 3 to 2 on a natural Blackjack, regardless of suit or color.
In Russia the game is called "21" or "Ochko" (The Hole).Other card games similar to Blackjack include Pontoon, which may be one of the early variations of the game. California Aces is another variation, as is Spanish 21.
The third one .........what is it? Can you guess it is........Roulette!
Roulette is a French word meaning "small wheel". There are several interesting legends about roulette origin.
According to the first, Blaise Pascal tried to find the perpetual motion. He engineered a device in a form of a big wheel for his experiments. One of his friends had a good idea to use this device for gambling.
Another mystic legend tells about Francois Blanc who founded the first casinos in Monte Carlo. They say he sold a soul to devil for the secret of roulette. If you don't believe, please sum all the wheel numbers; total is 666.
Roulette in the layout we see it today appeared in 1765 in Paris. French emigrants imported this game into USA and the first American casino appeared in New Orleans in 1800. In 1861, a casino was opened in Monaco that became the capital of gambling business after the ban of casino in Europe in 1873.
Now, every casino in the world has a roulette wheel. Roulette is popular because it is simple, easy to play, exciting and thrilling.
And the last one is......Baccarat!
The word "Baccarat" is taken from the Italian baccara, which simply means zero. The term refers to the face cards and 10s, all of which have zero value in the game of baccarat. In Europe, baccarat and a similar version called chemin de fer (which is explained in the "Baccarat Variations" guide) are among the most popular games.
No comments:
Post a Comment