Slots in Pop Culture

Slot games are a pretty big draw in most casinos. When most people go to gamble, they are going to play slot games. There are multiple reasons for this. However, the biggest reason why slots are so popular has to do with the simplicity behind these games.

Slots are not complicated. All you have to do, if you are a player, is pull the lever, or in the case of online slots, click a button. Online slots have become so simplified, that even pressing a button is not necessary anymore if you play the automated version. 

The success of slots at sites like christchurchcasino.com has also contributed to their familiarity. This is why so many pieces of pop culture use slots as a symbol for gambling and risk-taking. In this article, we’d like to go over all of the different ways that pop culture implements slot games.

In Television

In television, slots are usually the first game you will see when the characters visit a casino. The “casino episode” is a pretty notable trope in sitcoms, and there is at least one episode where one of the players “wins big” on slots, only to squander the money in a comedic fashion.

However, sitcoms are not the only example of this. A noteworthy episode of David Lynch’s surrealist story “Twin Peaks,” sees the newly-revived FBI agent, Cooper enter a casino under the guidance of the Black Lodge. There, he can easily pick out the winning games, and make over half-a-million dollars.

In Manga and Anime

Thanks to Netflix’s acquisition of certain anime, the world of Japanese animation has become incredibly popular in the West. Shows like Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and One Piece are now all the rage. However, anime is much more than just the action genre. There are plenty of shows that deal with gambling.

Kaiji: Gambling Apocalypse is a noteworthy example of a manga and anime that tackles the hardships of a gambler who is down on his luck. In the show, we see Kaiji playing, and losing at slots. However, by far, the most interesting use of slots (or pachinko in this case) comes in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga. 

In the later chapters, we are introduced to a formed Jujutsu High student, named Kinji Hakari, who runs an underground fighting ring. His ability is unique, as he can summon pachinko machines, that don’t harm his opponent but rather enhance his abilities so long as he can hit the jackpot. 

In Music

The music industry has seen many artists discuss their own experiences with gambling, or just generally about gambling. For the most part, slots are not the main topic of a song about gambling. However, there have been a few musicians who have translated their interest in slot games to make great music.

The best example we can give here is The Kinks, who wrote a song simply titled “Slot Machine.” There aren’t many metaphors or double meanings to be gleaned from this one. The song simply tackles the experience of spinning the reels at a casino and hoping for the best.