Fruit Machines Online

Massively popular in the UK, fruit machines can be found in pubs across the country and now in the 32Red Online Casino. We have a massive selection to choose from, all with big multiplier jackpots and features galore. Join 32Red Online Casino today and take advantage of our latest welcome bonus.

Fruit Machines: The Basics

Fruit machines are games of chance and are based on slot engines that power reels containing symbols. Combinations of these symbols formed across paylines will trigger prizes – normally in multiplier format – where the payouts are dependent on the value of the symbol. Often fruit machines have “trail” bonus games too, which are triggered either randomly or by certain combinations on the reels. Bonus games offer unique rewards and can activate the jackpot and other multiplier prizes. Most fruit machines include features that require an element of player skill which can effect the position of the reels and progress in the trail bonus.

Unlike online slots, fruit machines include an element of skill. This means players can actually influence the outcome of a particular spin by the careful employment of fruit machine skill features. Look for “nudges” (to shift a chosen reel down. This can complete symbol combinations), “holds” (to select a number of reels that will not spin on the next game) and selector bonuses (where players have to click at the right moment to highlight a certain prize) to help you win more from our fruit machines.

Fruit machines are also known as AWPs (Amusements With Prizes)

Fruit Machines: How to Play

To play a game on a Fruit Machine:

  • Select your coin size (if applicable)
  • Select the number of coins per payline (if applicable)
  • Click the "Spin" button to start the reels spinning

If you have a winning combination lined up on an enabled payline, the win is highlighted on the reels. This ends your game and your winnings are paid out as reflected in the Payout Table for that Fruit Machine. If you do not have a winning combination, then your game is over. You can then start a new game.

Fruit machine games were popular before the internet was but a glint in casino developers’ eyes. Traditionally found bleeping and flashing away in the corner of pubs and takeaway restaurants, fruit machines (or simply just ‘fruities’) are a part of gaming culture that stretches back decades.

Most definitely not to be considered a part of your five-a-day, fruit slot machines bring us instantly recognizable symbols and a healthy balance of retro comfort, nostalgia, and timeless gameplay. From humble beginnings to the theme for the most popular slot of all time, fruit machine slots have enjoyed a rollercoaster ride of a time. And the good news? It’s only going to get better.

A History

1891 was the year fruit machine games burst onto the scene. Two inventors, Sittman and Pitt, both New York natives, created the first analog slot machine, ever. Many believe this to be the forbearer of the modern fruit machine and the great, great, great (we could go on) grandfather of the digital incarnation that we see in online casino lobbies today.

The first slot machines had symbols based on a 50-card deck and winning combinations were based on poker hands. The reason to opt for a 50-card deck rather than the 52-card convention was to ensure the fruit machine had a mathematical advantage, or house edge (known inversely as ‘RTP’ at online casinos).

The two cards relegated to the subs' bench were the ten of spades and jack of hearts. This cut the odds of landing a royal flush by half.

Rather than dissuading punters from trying their luck on the reels, the Sittman and Pitt slot machine proved a hit and could soon be found in every corner of every bar in New York. Players from Manhattan to the Lower East Side were seen jamming nickels into these slots, pulling the lever, and hoping for a big win.

Did these slots pay out? Yes, but not as we know it today. The Sittman and Pitt device would payout in vouchers rather than cash. These vouchers would usually be in the form of a glass of beer or cigarettes and cigars that could be redeemed at the bar.

Charles Fey, a San Francisco resident created the first ‘bell fruit machine’ later in the 1890s. Standing on the shoulders of the Sittman and Pitt model, this was a reincarnation that included what would become a symbol still witnessed to this today - the bell.

Coined the Liberty Bell machine, the setup was much simpler than the previous model and ran on three reels displaying a total of five symbols, namely; spades, horseshoes, diamonds, hearts, and the Liberty Bell.

The fruit symbols slowly started appearing on new models and the payout was in the form of chewing gum that correlated to the winning symbols' flavour.

The Best Fruit Machine Slots

Packing casino lobbies like supermarket shelves, fruit-themed slot machines are a bankable theme for slot producers and are enjoyed the world over. But where can you find the juiciest fruit machines online? Let’s take a look at some releases ripe for some red-hot gaming action.

Starburst

No article about online fruit machines would be complete without the inclusion of this galactic outing from NetEnt. A fruity theme gone interstellar, here’s a casino slot classic that’s been delighting players for years.

With solid design and an interplanetary soundtrack, there’s a reason this online fruit machine is widely considered the most popular slot of all time. While the RTP is nothing to write home about, the low-volatility maths model is perfect for newer players who like their games with a touch of excitement, but not too much.

Fruitoids

Swedish gaming giant Yggdrasil brings you an outing with multipliers reaching up to 4x. A no-frills slot release, the RTP falls in line with other online fruit machines. The low-medium volatility is great for players looking for a bit more variance in their gameplay.

Thematically similar to its sister slot Winterberries, Fruitoids is played out on a 5x3 grid with 25 paylines.

BerryBurst

Another release from the gaming greats at NetEnt, the slot developers are really squeezing as much thematic juice as possible from this particular line of slots. The eye-watering max win potential keeps players coming back for more on this 5x3 grid with a cluster pays setup.

With graphics that drip vitamin C, you can almost taste the succulent, mouth-watering illustrations. Just try not to lick your screen.

Opal Fruits

A cheeky riff on Starburst (Opal Fruits was the original name of the Starburst candy in the UK), Big Time Gaming brings us a tongue-in-cheek outing for players that love online fruit machine games, old-school sweets, and massive win potential.

A slot with baked-in humor and a graphic package that’s clearly no joke, here’s a fruit-themed slot that’s a true gem.

Inferno Star

A fi rey fruit outing, Play’n GO set our retinas ablaze with this 2018 release. With the grid set against a solar planet of volatile flame and sulfur. If you’re looking for some red-hot gaming action, you won’t be burned by this particular outing.

Just don’t play too close to the sun.

Are Fruit Machine Games Any Good?

Online fruit machine games aren’t for everyone. These slots are gateways to a simpler time - nostalgia in slot form. If you’ve never played a physical fruit machine you’d be forgiven for questioning what all the fuss is about. Fruit machine online slots mainly appeal to an older demographic - the same people that may have played these in slot halls, Chinese take-outs, or pubs and bars.

Another appeal of fruities is that you know exactly what you’re getting before you’ve even passed the loading screen. The graphics are both familiar and inviting and the soundtrack isn’t going to put any noses out of joint.

Most fruit-themed slots provide a pretty standard RTP and - with a few exceptions - follow a low variance maths model. The common-garden gameplay isn’t going to appeal to players that like a high-octane slot outing, but rather those that enjoy a gentle amble across the reels.

The fact that fruit machine poster boy Starburst has been setting casino lobbies ablaze since 2014 is an indicator that there’s still a market for the simplistic yet engaging slot titles. But for how long? The longevity of NetEnt’s release would suggest there are still a good few years in the renaissance play of fruities.

The future of fruit-themed slots is likely to be a short one. But today, these slots are enjoying their time in the sun. Whether there’s likely to be a retro fruit-themed slot revival, while not certain, is indeed food for thought.

Check out our online fruit machines now but don’t forget our choice of two welcome bonuses – see our full range of casino promotions.

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