If you’ve ever spun the reels at your local arcade or online casino, you’ve probably spotted that mysterious ‘BAR’ symbol cropping up alongside fruit and sevens. Ever wondered why a word as plain as ‘BAR’ sits beside cherries and bells, taking pride of place on so many machines?
It’s one of those tiny details most people accept without thinking. Some assume it’s merely decorative; others imagine it hides a secret about big payouts. The real story, though, goes back to the earliest machines and reveals how design, business and regulation shaped the games we know today.
The Original Meaning of “BAR” on Slot Reels
The BAR symbol traces back to the early 20th century and one specific commercial workaround. When gambling for cash was restricted, manufacturers found a way to offer prizes without breaking the law: they paid out sweets or chewing gum. Fruit symbols on reels represented flavours, and one Chicago company that made gum used its own logo on machines to indicate a gum prize.
That logo was a stylised stick of gum which, over time, was simplified into the rectangular mark we now recognise as BAR with the word printed inside. Early reel art often showed a thick black bar with ‘BAR’ to make it stand out against the colourful fruit and bell icons. As machines spread, that simple brand mark became a visual shorthand for a winning symbol, long after the connection to gum faded.
The next section explains how that single graphic turned into a standard feature on nearly every slot design.
How the BAR Symbol Became Standard on Slot Machines
Once the BAR became familiar, other manufacturers adopted it because it was recognisable and easy to reproduce. Some versions used single, double or triple BARs to indicate different prize levels, which helped game designers create clear, consistent paytables without using words or complex artwork.
After the Second World War, mass production made slot machines common across arcades, pubs and amusement centres. Companies incorporated BARs alongside bells, fruits and sevens, and the symbol persisted through the shift from mechanical to electro-mechanical machines and, later, to video slots. By the 1980s and 1990s, the BAR was a standard element on most classic-style slots, particularly in British arcades and social venues.
As the technology changed, the BAR stayed because players recognised it instantly and because it fitted neatly into games that used simple combinations to signal different rewards. To see why BARs and fruit symbols often appear together, look at how operators matched imagery to prize types and public taste.
Connections Between BAR Symbols and Fruit Machines
This section explores why BARs and fruit images became a classic pairing and how that blend of icons endured.
The combination of BARs and fruits is rooted in the same practical origins: both sets of symbols were used to represent non-cash prizes. Fruit reels signalled flavour-based rewards, while the BAR began life as a manufacturer’s mark. Together they offered visual variety and clear means of distinguishing winning combinations.
Adding BARs to fruit reels also helped makers diversify payouts. Using single, double and triple BARs allowed for multiple prize tiers without changing the basic look of a game. That visual shorthand helped players identify combinations quickly, which kept play intuitive even as machines added novelty features.
Why Are BAR and Fruit Symbols Used Together?
BARs and fruit symbols were straightforward ways to communicate prizes and differentiate outcomes. The fruity icons were colourful and immediately suggestive of sweets, while BARs provided bold contrast and an obvious place to map higher-value combinations. The pairing stuck because it was practical and familiar, and many modern classic-style slots still use it to evoke the look of older machines while adding newer mechanics.
Did BAR Reels Replace Earlier Slot Symbols?
BARs joined rather than replaced earlier icons. The Liberty Bell, horseshoes and card suits predate BARs, but changing laws and marketing pushed operators toward fruit and BAR imagery. Some older symbols stayed on certain machines, but the BAR-plus-fruit formula established itself as the dominant style for mid-20th-century amusement machines, shaping the visual language that designers still reference today.
The next section looks at common myths surrounding BAR symbols and separates fact from fiction.
Common Misconceptions About BAR Symbols
Familiarity breeds stories, and several misconceptions about BARs have circulated for decades. Sorting these out helps clarify what the symbol actually means and what it does not.
Is “BAR” Connected to Bars or Alcohol?
No. The BAR symbol is not linked to pubs, bars or alcohol. Its origin lies in a gum company logo that was simplified into the rectangular BAR mark. Over time the design was further stylised to suit the limited graphics of early machines.
The frequent presence of fruit machines in pubs may have reinforced the association in people’s minds. Seeing the symbols in a drinking environment can create a mental link, but there is no design connection between the symbol and drinking establishments.
Are Wins With BARs Worth More Than Fruits?
Symbol value varies by game. Whether BARs pay more than fruits depends entirely on the paytable specified for that machine, and there is no universal rule that BARs are always top paying symbols.
Some games assign higher payouts to BAR combinations, others to certain fruit matches, and some use BARs mainly as mid-range symbols. Checking the paytable for any particular game is the reliable way to know which symbols carry higher values, so players can understand potential outcomes and make informed choices.
Having clarified those myths, it is useful to see how slot symbols evolved further as machines became more complex and themed. This evolution reflects changes in technology, aesthetics and player preferences over many years.
Evolution of Slot Machine Symbols Through the Years
Symbols on slot reels have continually adapted to technological capability and cultural taste. Early mechanical machines used simple motifs such as card suits, horseshoes and the Liberty Bell. Fruit symbols and BARs emerged as a practical response to prize restrictions and commercial branding, changing the look of reels through the first half of the 20th century.
Post-war machines grew more colourful and varied. Bells, crowns and sevens became common additions, and manufacturers began to experiment with greater visual variety. The arrival of video slots opened the field entirely: reels could carry many symbols, animated sequences and themed graphics that linked directly to bonus features. Modern online slots now include wilds, scatters, multipliers and branded imagery, turning symbols into mechanics as well as decoration.
Across these shifts, the BAR has survived because it’s simple, instantly legible and flexible—qualities that let it fit into both retro-styled titles and modern designs. That continuity also helps players recognise lineage in new games, see the mechanics in familiar terms, and appreciate how a small graphic from the gum trade became one of the most enduring images in slot history.
This article has traced the BAR’s journey from a company logo to a staple of reel design, explained why it pairs so naturally with fruit symbols, and cleared up common myths so you can read a paytable with confidence.
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