Owned by IGT, Wagerworks has become indistinguishable from its parent company in the minds of online gambling enthusiasts. Both create a wide range of products that can be enjoyed directly from the Internet. Among the best known are their online slot machines. But they are also heavily involved in producing content for land-based venues, mobile devices, and even games that can be played on televisions.
History of IGT & Wagerworks
Founded in 1971 and originally named A-1 Distributing Company, IGT went public in 1981, changing its name to International Game Technology. By that time, the company had built a substantial profit from its dynamic video poker machines.
In the decade following its introduction, the industry made extraordinary progress. The first player tracking device was introduced in 1984. This technology has since become an integral part of the slot clubs that now populate most land-based casinos. They also spawned the Nevada Megabucks slot machine, a million-dollar contraption notable for two reasons. First, it became the first wide-area progressive. Second, it radically changed the customer experience in land-based casinos.
The company experienced tremendous growth in the 1990s. In addition to being listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the company opened offices in South Africa, Argentina, and the European continent. One can't even begin to describe the craziness of 1996, which brought us the long-running Wheel of Fortune progressive slot.
Although IGT continued to develop groundbreaking new products, it was WagerWorks - founded by Silicon Gaming, Inc. in 2000 - that began to earn the respect of the gaming industry and its customers. In just a few short years, WagerWorks had developed a reputation for producing high-quality, entertaining slot titles that players eagerly awaited.
Meanwhile, IGT expanded into Canada and began selling its bingo products to the Native American market. The company continued to expand its product line and distribution reach through several acquisitions, including Anchor Gaming, Acres Gaming, and Silicon Gaming. Through these efforts, IGT became much more competitive.
IGT has since went into several other international markets.
Which Games are Available?
Compared to the catalog of some of its competitors, the 80 or so games offered by WagerWorks are few and far between. But they make up for it with quality content, licensed slots and one of the biggest progressive jackpots around.
Unfortunately, casinos powered by WagerWorks software do not allow players from the United States to play. Some companies have ventured back into the American market thanks to legalized online casinos in a few states (e.g. New Jersey, Nevada) and within federally recognized Native American territories. However, a significant number of online casinos that could use WagerWorks software have chosen to stay out of the US market altogether.
If you want the best return to player percentages for WagerWorks games, here are my recommendations: don't pass/don't come in Craps (99.66% RTP); banker bets in Baccarat (98.98%); and Blackjack (99.54%).
Players looking for variety in video poker may be disappointed with the paltry three games on offer. That said, the Liquid Curve does include some quirky and even original titles, such as Three Card Second Chance (created by the Wizard of Odds) and Three Reel Hold-up (the first skill-based slot machine, created in conjunction with a major test to see how well players could hold their cards).
WagerWorks offers a portfolio of all flash games, meaning they can be played from virtually any computer browser and operating system. This is a step away from the old download model that limited PC and Mac players to a single machine.
Jackpots from IGT
If you are looking for a gaming company with plenty of jackpots, IGT and/or WagerWorks may not serve you well. They have few progressives, but the Mega Jackpots option offers an average top prize of $1,516,209 every 22 weeks and 8 hours.
Top Licensed Slots from Wagerworks
While major online casino developers create the majority of their slots from scratch, they still meet the demand for a certain amount of licensed content. This licensed content comes in two forms: the pay-to-use type, where a developer leases an IP for a limited period of time before the lease is renewed or the IP is relinquished; and the public domain type, where game creators are free to make whatever they want, however they want, in whatever medium they want. Here are eight slots with limited licensed content.
Like many game developers, IGT/Wagerworks has a large collection of licensed content. Almost all of these offerings fall under the slot category, and I've put together a handful of examples for you.
- Wheel of Fortune
- The $25,000 Pyramid
- Jeopardy!
- Elvis Presley. 1935-1977. Elvis Presley is a singer who became an icon of rock music. His performance style and innovative approach to music - particularly rhythm and blues - had a profound impact on 20th century popular culture
- The Price Is Right;
Wagerworks tends to focus on game show TV content when it comes to the content it licenses. The above list is one example. Other examples include: - Family Feud - Let's Make a Deal - The Deal of the Century - The Newlywed Game - The Dating Game - The $100,000 Pyramid - The Joker's Wild - The $1,000,000 Pyramid This is a good strategy. It both plays to and rewards the demographics of people who have watched TV since childhood.
Final Words
Four decades after its founding, IGT remains a powerful force in the gaming universe. Its ongoing acquisition of smaller companies, such as WagerWorks, has provided it with an array of game developers and game content that now seems to pervade almost every major global market.
They have given players some of the most popular titles in the industry, and their commitment to fairness and quality continues to pay off. Their only real drawbacks are a smaller than average game library and a limited number of progressive jackpots.