A slit or other narrow opening, such as one in which coins are placed in a machine. Also used to refer to a position or place in a sequence or series, as in “I have a lot on my plate at the moment” or “The slot is where you need to get your head down and study.” The word is also commonly used in sports to describe the space between a lineman and a wide receiver—e.g., “A great slot guy like Wes Welker can run all sorts of routes to open up passes.”
In computers, the term “slot” generally refers to a unit in the operation issue and data path machinery that is associated with a particular execution unit (also known as a functional unit). In very long instruction word machines, the slot is more specifically called a pipeline.
When it comes to gambling, the phrase “slot” is most often used in reference to a casino game, though it can be applied to other types of games as well. Regardless of the type of gambling game, the odds are determined by a random number generator and skill doesn’t come into play.
When playing a slot, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the pay table. This reveals how much you’ll win for a combination of specific symbols and may even display information about bonus features as well. This information is often listed directly on the slot machine or embedded in its help menu.