A slot is a specific time or space in a schedule. It is also a position in a team’s formation. In football, the slot receiver is a crucial player that is responsible for receiving passes from the quarterback and blocking for other players on running plays. A good slot receiver will run routes that correspond with the rest of the team to create confusion for the defense.
A computer component that allows you to plug in expansion cards, increasing the capacity of your system. These are sometimes referred to as bays. They are usually found in the back of a motherboard, and they may be labeled with a number of different letters. Some systems require multiple slots to function correctly, while others only need one.
In slot games, a pay line is a set of symbols that crosses each reel to determine winning combinations. Most slot machines have a single pay line, but some can have multiple lines that have varying geometric shapes. In addition, many modern video machines have a variable number of pay lines that can be selected prior to playing.
To play a slot machine, a person inserts cash or, in “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode. The machine then spins the reels to rearrange the symbols and pay out credits according to a pay table. The pay table is listed on the machine, either above and below the reels or, in the case of video slots, on a screen with the game’s instructions. Most slot games have a theme, and the symbols and other features are aligned with that theme.
The amount of money paid out by a slot machine for every dollar played, usually measured over a specified time period. The higher this percentage, the more likely a slot is to pay out. It is calculated by dividing the total amount of money won by the amount that was played.
An opening, groove, notch, or slit, especially a narrow one for admitting something, as a coin or a letter: He dropped the letter into the slot.
A position in a sequence or series: The program was assigned a new four o’clock slot.
A place in a school or college class, or in a team’s roster, that is reserved for someone: He was given a slot in the basketball team. Also: