How SLOTKER® came to be.
What made SLOTKER® possible?
In the creation of SLOTKER®, a number of stars had to align perfectly.
- The deck required 6 different slot machine symbols. SLOTKER® selected 6 of the most historic and iconic symbols: lemons, cherries, oranges, plums, bells and bars.
- The slot machine symbols must be in varying frequencies to establish their ranks.
- The rankings of slot symbols must fit in between the rankings of poker card values (deuces up to aces) and card suits (spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds).
- The frequency of each slot symbol must form a near-linear, logical frequency distribution with an increasingly-graduated rarity of symbols in the higher ranks. That frequency distribution is: 5-6-8-10-11-12 (bars, bells, plums, oranges, cherries, lemons).
- The total count of all slot machine symbols in this progression must equal exactly 52.
- The highest-ranked slot symbol (the BAR) must be ranked lower than poker card values. With 5 BARs in the deck, it ranks perfectly, just below 4 deuces.
- The lowest-ranked slot symbol (the LEMON) must be ranked higher than any one suit. With 12 LEMONs in the deck, it ranks perfectly, just above 13 of any one suit.
- 3-card poker hands, within each slot symbol, are ranked using standard poker rankings in which flushes outrank straights, requiring fewer possible combinations of flushes than straights, within any slot symbol.
- The game must simulate a real slot machine. The one-chip ante: coin inserted into slot machine. The reel spin: cards dealt. The reel nudge: each player may discard one card for a replacement. The win: player with the highest ranking 3-of-a-kind wins. The progressive jackpot: When no player makes a 3-of-a-kind, players add another chip to the pot and players compete for a progressively-building payout in the following round(s).
- The game must be easy and fun to learn and play. And anyone who has played slots and poker will instantly find SLOTKER® playing cards to be old familiar friends.

