Three reel slot machines are special, because they are from the first generation of slot machines that came into existence. The first machines that came into existence towards the later half of the 19th century can be classified as three reel slot machines. So what are three reel slot machines? What are their salient features? How popular are they among slots enthusiasts? These are some of the questions that come to mind.
The three reel slot machines basically have three reels, which is where they derive the name from. However, the number of paylines varies in three reel slots, between one and five. These machines were earlier called ‘One-Armed Bandits’, as they had a lever to operate them, giving them the appearance of a bandit with one arm.
More about the Three Reel Slot Machines
Over time, 3 reel slots have undergone some cosmetic changes, though the underlying principle remains the same. For instance, the first of the three reel slot machines had on them the symbols of the four suits in a card deck that, over time, gave way to the symbols of different fruits, thereby earning them the moniker ‘fruit machines’ in the U.K. Nowadays, these machines have a range of symbols on them, from the fruits to various others.
Nowadays, a modified version of the three reel slot machine is the bonus slot machine, which includes an extra bonus round as incentive for the players to play with maximum coins and win cool prizes and cash.
Paylines in Three Reel Slots
As mentioned earlier, three reel slot machines have limited paylines, usually between one and five. This makes the game easy to follow. There is a fundamental difference between three reel slots with a single payline and those with multiple paylines. In the case of a single payline three reel slot machine, the payout scale changes as your wager amount increases. This is not the case in three reel slot machines with multiple paylines. In these machines, the number of paylines increases corresponding to your wager amount.
You will get three reel slot machines that are the standard ones, and also ones that are part of a network and therefore have progressive jackpots. There are also some other aspects to three reel slots, such as the number of coins you can input as a maximum bet. Most straight three reel slot machines have the option of at least three coins as the maximum bet. An example of a three reel slot with a maximum wager of three coins is Liberty 7.