A slot is a narrow notch, groove, or opening, as one in which something may be inserted, as a keyhole in a door or a coin slot on a machine. The term also refers to a position in a group or series, as in a numbered slot on a piece of equipment or a seat at a table.
In a casino, slots are vertically arranged reels with a set number of symbols that spin when a lever or button is pulled. If a specific combination of symbols land in the same place on a pay line, a player wins a prize based on the amount of the bet placed. Some slot machines also offer special features, such as bonus levels or progressive jackpots.
The term is sometimes used in sports to describe the area between the face-off circles on an ice hockey rink, or the empty space in front of the goal. A defender or forward might try to steal the puck from another player by entering this area, or a team might try to protect its own slot by blocking the opposing team’s entry.
A slot can also mean a position in a sequence or series, as in the order of events. For example, a person might be assigned a particular time to meet with others, or someone might book a vacation trip for a specific time slot. The word can also be used figuratively, as in “He slotted the new filter into the coffee pot.”
A slot is also a type of computer memory location, with the ability to store multiple pieces of data. For this reason, many computer programs use slots for temporary storage. In the past, computers used to fill up very quickly if they contained too many items in their slots. Nowadays, however, most computers can handle a large amount of data without a problem.