Ten Different Names People Call Slot Machines

While every slot player will have their favourite game name, what you might not know is that people call them all sorts of things. From regional dialect to local slang, here are ten things people call slot machines that you might not have heard of…

Fruit Machine (British English)

This term comes from the traditional fruit images on the spinning reels, such as lemons and cherries. But often there were also bars (But mostly fruit). In Vietnam, they call it may xeng hoa qua and there is an online version of this slot game at tha.bet (thabet is a legal online betting site in Asia).

Puggy (Scottish English Slang)

Also called Puggies, it is a term for something playful and is meant as a term for endearment and fondness!

Slots (Canadian and American English)

The classic name. The slot refers to the currency detector hole that you slot your money into. Any gambling machine without one of these isnt truly a slot machine.

Pokies (Australian English and New Zealand English)

Pokies is short for poker machines and it is pretty much exclusive to Australia. But these days it is catching on in many other parts of the world.

Liberty Bells (American English)

This was the brand of the very first slot machine and once upon a time that was all people knew to call them.

One-Armed Bandits (American English)

This was the classic name for the classic types of slot machines. With one big handle on the side, you would pull it to spin the reels. But it got its name bandit because it would take all your money (most of the time anyway).

Betting Units (British English)

This is a more official name than one used by the players. Betting Units or the Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) are often seen in bookies.

Video Slots (American English)

Some people like the video slots, some dont But these are the ones that have digital reels rather than real ones like our next name.

Reel Spinners (American English)

This name was only really used since the invention of the video slots. Some people just like to play games with real reels rather than digital ones.

The Stand Ups (American English)

These are often older slot machines that used to be played stood up obviously. Think of the older classic penny arcades and you will know what I am talking about.

The Million Different Names for Slot Machines

Wherever you go in the world, there is usually a little sub culture when it comes to slot machine games.

Each country seems to have different names and aspects to their slots. In the UK, they are mostly known as fruit machines thanks to the traditional symbols of lemons and cherries which were part of the early slots.

Even though you don't see those symbols nearly as much on video slot machines, if someone says they are off to play the fruity you know they are heading to the nearest slots game they can find. British fruit machines also offer features you don't see elsewhere, most notably the nudge, where you can move the reels down 1 or 2 places to get a line of winning symbols.

In Japan, the culture is very different with pachislo machines. These have spinning reels which the user stops, rather than waiting on the luck of the draw and there is a set time by which the reels must stop. There is also meant to be a maximum 15 coin payout, but this can easily be circumvented through jackpot modes.

For some reason, in Australia, slots are known as poker machines, which is usually abbreviated to pokies, even though they are quite different from video poker. They seem to be among the more complicated slot machines out there, with frequently more than 25 winning line. Regulation of pokies is done state by state.

The American term is usually slots, and they are the dominant force both in live and online casinos, with the 5 reel video slot by far and away the most popular and traditional form of entertainment.

  • What are the newest slot machines

    Best new slots to play in 2021: Play the latest slot machine releases Slots players are always the happiest in a casino because they have so much choice....

  • Play the slot machines

    Learn How to Play Slot Machines; A Primer for Beginner Slots Players Learn How to Play Slot Machines A Primer for Beginner Slots Players Do you remember...

  • Why slot machines always win

    This Is Why the Casino Will Always Win After a Turn on the Slot Machine The gaming industry is big business in the US, contributing an estimated $240...

  • Who invented the slot machines

    Who Invented Slot Machines Gambling is the most popular type of leisure activity. And when it gives excitement and brings you profit, it becomes a...

  • People winning on slot machines

    Slot Win: 5 Key Tips for Winning Big on Online Slots Slot machines are one of the most enjoyable casino games to play. They re colorful and attractive...