A narrow depression, notch, or opening, especially one for receiving something, as a keyway in machinery or a slit for a coin in a vending machine. A position in a group, series, or sequence: Her show is scheduled for the 8 o’clock slot on Thursdays.

In a slot machine, players insert cash or, in “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode into a designated slot. The reels then spin and stop to rearrange symbols, determining the winning combination and awarding credits based on the pay table. Symbols vary by machine, but classics include fruits, bells, and stylized lucky sevens. Most slots have a theme, and bonus features align with that theme.

The Slot Corner

In American football, the slot corner is a defensive back who is assigned to cover wide receivers. This is a demanding assignment, because slot corners must be able to play both man and zone coverage. They also must be well conditioned and have excellent athletic ability to keep up with fast slot receivers.

In a slot machine, each possible combination is assigned a different probability by the microprocessors inside the machine. When a player signals the machine — whether by pressing a button or pulling a handle — the computer assigns a random number to each symbol on every reel. The machine then displays the symbols in order, from left to right. When the machine stops, a winning combination is displayed on the screen. The computer then calculates the total amount of credits to be awarded based on the probabilities of each symbol appearing.