If you are new to slots or haven’t been playing for all that long you may hear people refer to classic slots and not feel certain what it is that they are talking about. The phrase classic slots are interchangeable with three reel slots, and the reason that it is referenced this way is that the first slot machines were made with three reels and when most people who have been playing a long time think of the game they think of the classic style machines that have three reels on them.
The original slot machine in casinos was the Liberty Bell and it had just three reels, and even today, it is considered a classic and it was a design that was imitated for years by many different manufacturers. In the 1970s many tried to better the game, adding a fourth and fifth reel to the game, but this was not widely accepted by the gaming community. The reason that the new five reel version was not widely accepted was that it was different and because there were more symbols on each reel, which made it harder for players to cash in on the game.
Many people like the classic slots because they have just three reels, meaning they have a lot fewer possible outcomes than the five and seven-wheel variations. In addition, when players bet the maximum on the three reel slot machine they can benefit from up to five payout lines which include three horizontal and two diagonal. Because there are fewer reels and usually fewer symbols, the classic slot machine is often thought to be the best machine to play when you are playing to win. Of course, there are many who believe that there are more symbols on each of the three wheels today than there were in the past, making for more combinations, making it more difficult to win.
The classic slot machine is an even better bet when you are playing video slots because when you play the machines in the casinos you are playing with the odds against you not only because the game is based on chance, but also because the reels are usually weighted. With five payout lines, weighting the reels is a way for the casinos to ensure that they are bleeding money out of their classic slot machines! If it wasn’t for the weighted reels of course, the classic slots would be the best bet in the whole casino! Despite the weighted reels, your odds are still quite good with the classic machines and you should put your money on them every chance you get!