🎰

slot machine

Unicode: 1F3B0

Description

A slot machine or one-armed bandit, typically depicted with levers, reels displaying fruits or numbers, and a coin slot. The reels are usually in motion or displaying a winning combination.

Group:

Activities > game

Status:

fully-qualified

Emotion:

Often associated with luck, gambling, winning, chance, anticipation, or the thrill of a game.

Backstory

This emoji was introduced in Unicode 6.0 (2010). It represents a classic gambling device and is frequently used in contexts related to casinos, money, luck, and games.

Usage Examples

  • Wishing good luck: 'Good luck tonight! 🎰'
  • Talking about gambling: 'Going to the casino this weekend 🎰'
  • Indicating a big win: 'Hit the jackpot! 🎰💰'
  • Figurative use for a chance or gamble: 'It's a complete gamble whether this will work 🎰'

Cultural Differences

Western culture:

Strongly linked to casinos, Las Vegas, and the concept of 'hitting the jackpot'. Can symbolize risk-taking or hoping for a lucky break.

East Asian culture:

Similar associations with gambling and games of chance, but may also be used more broadly in contexts of good fortune or unexpected gains.

Japanese culture:

Often implies pachinko, a popular arcade game in Japan, rather than just traditional slot machines.