A slot is a narrow opening into which something can be fitted. The first usage of the word was in 1520s, with the sense “narrow opening into which a coin can be dropped” (by 1888, it had acquired the figurative meaning of “a position in a series or sequence,” as in “the time slot occupied by the meeting”). The idiom “slot in” to mean “take a place in” is attested from 1966. The figurative sense of “fit into” is also attested, as in “he slotted the book into the shelf” and “the car seat belt slotted into place easily.”
A game in which players try to match symbols on paylines to make winning combinations. Symbols and paylines are usually displayed in a table on the screen, often with bright colours to make them easy to read. Some slots may even have animations to help you understand the information. It never fails to amaze us when people plunge right in to playing a new online slot without reading the pay table first. It can save a lot of disappointment and frustration, as well as a whole lot of money, if you take the time to learn what you’re up against before you start playing.
Most slot machines allow players to insert cash or, in “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, paper tickets with barcodes, into a slot on the machine’s front panel. The machine then activates the reels and stops them at various positions to rearrange the symbols, and credits are awarded based on a paytable. Some slot games offer bonus rounds and other features that can further increase a player’s chances of winning.
Many people believe that a progressive slot will not pay out soon after it resets, but this is untrue. Statistically, the game is just as likely to pay out immediately after resetting as it is after having gone months without paying out. In fact, a progressive jackpot tends to be more alluring after being allowed to grow for a while.
In computer science, a slot is an empty container that acts as a dynamic placeholder for content on a Web page. It is created either by using the Add Items to Slot action or by calling a renderer. The contents of a slot are dictated by the scenario that uses it or by a targeter, which is a piece of code that tells the scenario what to display in a given slot.
An airport slot is the right to operate at a particular time, granted by an airline or other entity wishing to use an airport. This can be very valuable and may be traded for a significant sum of money. In aviation, slots can also refer to specific air traffic management positions, such as control tower or gate assignments.