A slit or opening, especially one for receiving something, such as a coin or letter. Also figuratively, a position or place within a series or sequence: the slot for a letter; an empty slot in the choir.
In a slot machine, a player inserts cash or, on “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode, then activates the machine by pressing a lever or button (either physical or virtual). The reels then spin and stop to rearrange the symbols; if a winning combination is made, the player receives credits based on the pay table. Most slot games have a theme, and the symbols and bonus features are aligned with that theme.
When you play a slot game, the pay table displays important information about the game, including how many paylines it has and what combinations of symbols are required to hit jackpots. It will also highlight any special symbols, such as the Wild symbol, together with an explanation of how it works.
Air traffic managers use slots to allocate specific times and places for aircraft to take off or land at a given airport. This helps reduce delays and prevents planes from being forced to wait on the ground or burn excess fuel while waiting for a clearance. Flow management has led to major savings in cost and time, and the use of slots is expanding globally as airports struggle with capacity.