A narrow opening or hole, especially one for receiving something, as a coin or letter. Also: A position or assignment, as in a group, series, or sequence, or a job. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
The number of stops on a mechanical slot machine reel that determines how often it will stop in a given position. The more stops a slot has, the greater the chance that a particular symbol will appear on a payline. Generally, the higher paying symbols have fewer stops than lower ones, so they occur less frequently.
An assigned time or place for an aircraft to take off or land, as authorized by an airport or air traffic control system: The airline was able to book several slots at major U.S. airports for the next few weeks.
In an online slot game, the pay table is usually displayed alongside the reels and shows all of the symbols available and how much you can win by landing three or more matching symbols on a payline. Some slots may also highlight any special symbols, like a Wild symbol or Scatter symbols. These might trigger bonus features or unlock special prizes.
If you’re new to slots, it’s a good idea to play only a few machines at once. If you play too many, you’ll be taking away spots from other players who could otherwise be enjoying the same fun. And if the casino is crowded, you’ll likely have trouble finding a machine to play on.
An area in front of an opponent’s goal on an ice hockey rink, allowing a player to gain a vantage point and attack the net. A slot is sometimes referred to as a face-off circle.
A container that waits for or calls out for content (depending on the scenario used) to fill it. The contents of a slot are dictated by a scenario that either uses an Add Items to Slot action or a targeter to push content into the slot. Slots are often paired with renderers to deliver the finished product to the page.
The theoretical percentage of winning odds for a slot machine, as determined by the manufacturer of the machine. This figure is provided to help gamblers compare the odds of different machines and to determine which ones are most likely to provide a profitable experience.
The name of a slot is usually the title of a video game, although some are based on board games or other media. Many slots are designed around a theme, with characters and images that are related to the storyline. Some slots even feature animations and audio. Some are progressive, meaning that a player can earn multiple rewards over the course of several spins. In addition, some slots have bonus features such as free spins or multipliers. A slot may also feature a jackpot, which can be won by landing a certain combination of symbols on the reels.