A slot is a position within a group, series, sequence or set of values. It also refers to a position on a computer’s memory, or in the case of an aircraft, a time and place for it to take off or land.
A specialized receiver on a football team who runs particular routes that require evasion and speed. Generally, teams will focus more on speed and agility when drafting slot receivers rather than size or bulk.
The pay table of a slot game is the list of the symbols and their payouts. The more matching symbols you hit in a winning combination, the higher your payout. Often, the pay table will feature a graphic or animation to explain how the pay lines work and what combinations you need to land in order to win. Some slots will even include a guide on how to trigger any bonus features in the game!
It never ceases to amaze us how many players plunk down their coins without even looking at a slot’s pay table. Ideally, this will be located close to the bottom of the machine and can be launched with just one click. A good pay table will tie in with the slot’s theme and will provide a great deal of information in an easy-to-read format.
In computer science, a slot is a region of a computer’s memory or data path that is reserved for a specific operation. The term is commonly used in very long instruction word (VLIW) computers. A slot can be filled by either a microprocessor or a memory-mapped register.
The number of possible symbol combinations on a single reel is limited to the number of physical stops on the reel, but on video slots, each stop can represent several different symbols. This makes the probability of hitting a given combination much lower than on a mechanical machine. As a result, the jackpot sizes on video slots are smaller than those on mechanical machines.
From the early 14c. as a name for a bar or bolt used to fasten a door, window, etc.; from Old Norse slotter, from Proto-Germanic *slutila. The figurative sense of “a position in a group, series, sequence or set” is attested from the mid-14c.
The term “slot” can also be used to describe a time and place for an aircraft to take off or land as specified by an air-traffic control authority: 40 more slots for the new airline at U.S. airports. In ornithology, a narrow notch or opening between the tips of the primaries of certain birds that helps to maintain a smooth flow of air over the wings during flight. Also called slit, notch, or gap. Also, in ice hockey, the area on an opponent’s goal that affords a vantage point for an attacking player. A slot can be defended by blocking, tackling or skating to the spot. Also, in basketball, the open space behind a basket where the ball is to be played.