I’m not a gambler. At all.
Occasionally, I like to have a friendly bet over a basketball game or something. But I’m not the casino type.
I’ve gambled at a casino once in Palm Springs. Mary and I played a “trivia slot machine” all night long. We put in our initial dollar, and several hours later, we cashed out for a little over $800. I can’t really remember the exact amount. Anyway. The thing was, we didn’t know what we were doing or the fact that we were winning. We just kept answering questions.
Anyway, gambling is big dang industry, and people seem to love those slot machines.
Which made me wonder. Why do they always have those fruity symbols that spin around? You know, those watermelons, lemons, cherries, and other fruit items?
Well, it turns out that the story behind these fruity icons traces back to the early days of slot machines. Back during the early 20th century, gambling devices were facing increased regulation. So, the inventor of one of the first slot machines, a guy named Herbert Mills, decided to sidestep the restrictions.
He found a way to skirt anti-gambling laws. Mills replaced the standard playing card symbols on his machines with fruit symbols. The idea was to portray the machines as vending machines that dispensed fruit-flavored gum rather than gambling devices.
The idea caught on, and lots of people followed suit. No pun intended. After that, the fruity symbols, such as cherries and melons, lingered on even as the machines evolved.
So that’s why you are always rooting for triple cherries. Or bananas. Or something when the spinning stops.
But that is not the reason those slot machines reel people in. Instead, it is because of something called “the near miss.” Yes, there is a whole big psychological aspect to “the near miss.”
It happens when two out of three symbols align perfectly, only for the third to tease you by stopping just above or below the payline. This is a deliberate design.
The psychology of near misses plays a crucial role in keeping players engaged and encouraging them to continue playing.
According to an article I read:
“Research in psychology suggests that near misses trigger the brain’s reward system in a similar way to actual wins. The anticipation and disappointment of narrowly missing the jackpot create a sense of excitement that compels players to try their luck again.”
The makers of the machines carefully calibrate them to deliver these near misses. They give people that sense of hope and anticipation. And as such, it keeps players coming back for more. The perception of being just one symbol away from a big win is a powerful motivator.
“One more time,” they say.
So there it is. A gamble on gambling.
Me? I’m going to stick with eating the actual fruits. Three apples a day keeps those near misses away.
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“You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.”
― Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men
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“You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocket ship underpants don’t help.”
― Bill Watterson
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“Luck has a way of evaporating when you lean on it.”
― Brandon Mull, Keys to the Demon Prison
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Triple kumquats. Or three apricots. Just win, fruitloop.
