Look at a classic fruit machine and you will see cherries, lemons, oranges, plums and the word "BAR". None of them has anything to do with gambling. According to the well-known story, they come from sweets.
Gum instead of cash
In the early 20th century, gambling machines were banned in many parts of the United States. Manufacturers got around this by turning the machines into vending machines: instead of coins, they paid out packets of fruit-flavoured chewing gum. The symbols on the reels showed the gum flavours — cherry, lemon, orange and plum.
Where "BAR" comes from
The "BAR" symbol is widely said to come from the logo of the Bell-Fruit Gum Company, whose gum was dispensed by the machines. The fruits stuck, and more than a century later they are still the classic slot symbols.
The modern machine
Today, online slots carry those same fruity symbols into video games with bonus rounds and themes of every kind. If you are curious about how that industry works, sites such as igaming news cover it, and casino sites such as Trixino show what a modern online casino looks like.
Online gambling is for adults only (18+). Gamble responsibly and set limits. Free, confidential support: BeGambleAware.org.