His games grew to be so popular at local bars, he quit his day job and opened a factory to start mass producing them, most notably the Liberty Bell machines in 1899. Finally, enthusiasts who are serious about buying a vintage machine may want to take a look at the Antique Slot Machine Pricing Guide.Ĭharles August Fey, a Bavaria-born inventor, was living in San Francisco when he invented his first gambling machine in 1984. If you want to quickly itch your scratch for playing slots, you can also check out an online casino likeRoyal Vegas Online Slots. Even if you’re not ready to plunk down a grand or more for a classic slot machine, you’ll probably get a kick out of understanding what makes those coin swallowers tick.

(OK, you probably need more tools than that.) Watch the videos below to understand how the slot machines work and what’s required for common repairs. Newer slots will require you to know a bit about computer circuitry, but the classics just need a screwdriver, wrench and a magic touch.

Japanese slot machine coin mechanism