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Anchor GamingIGT Slot Route Operator - Wheel of Fortune Slots |
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| Anchor Gaming is just another piece of the
International Game Technology empire these days. It wasn't
always so. The two companies were first competitors and then
partners before Anchor became a satellite in the orbit of IGT.
But Anchor left an indelible imprint on the gaming industry
during the time it was an independent operator.
If for no other reason, Anchor Gaming has a place in slot machine history for its lead role in the production of The Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Anchor Gaming Is FoundedThe company was started in the early eighties by Stanley Fulton. The business plan was to get in on the ground floor of "RNG" casino game machine designs. RNG stands for "random number generator". In the eighties, this technology was changing the industry. RNGs were placed in slot machines and video poker machines to perform the work done by the old reel mechanism of earlier machines. Though there are many advantages to using an RNG, the most dramatic one is the ability to increase jackpot size. Anchor began designing video poker machines and slot machines. In doing so, it changed the entire casino industry. Slot machines had long been a favorite on casino floors, but they came to represent some 80% of the profits a casino makes. video poker machines became the best kept secret in gambling, because top notch players could find positive expectation machines. The Wheel of Fortune Slot MachineAnchor Gaming partnered with International Game Technology to bring the world The Wheel of Fortune slot machine in 1996. This machine featured the money wheel so famous from The Wheel of Fortune television show. It was the launching point for a bonus game, which allowed people added money by spinning the wheel. This was a favorite with a huge portion of the gaming public. Even more remarkable, The Wheel was one of the first game to offer big progressive jackpots. The combination of big payouts, good bonus games and name recognition sent Wheel of Fortune to the front of the pack. The game remains the most popular slot machine ever designed. It is still the most profitable machine on casino floors across the nation. Fulton's company provided the creative part of the design process, though IGT bankrolled the project. Though the two companies were partners in the venture, IGT had grander ambitions in the casino industry. I Dream of Jeannie Slot MachineAnother partnership venture between Anchor Gaming and IGT was the 1998 production of I Dream of Jeannie slots. This started the television franchise revolution which continues to this day. Companies started purchasing television licenses. For example, IGT created a Jeopardy! slot machine, hoping it would match The Wheel of Fortune. This did not happen without the design genius of Steve Fulton. The Selling of Anchor GamingFulton would leave Anchor Gaming in 2000, retiring from the industry. He sold his majority stocks back to the company, which foundered in the wake of his retirement. In 2001, Anchor Gaming was bought by former partner, International Game Technologies. Anchor remains a subdivision of the IGT casino gaming empire. It designs new slot machines and video poker machines for the mother company, but is no longer the source of innovation it was in the 1990s.
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