The term “slot” is an abbreviation of the phrase, “slot machine.” It refers to a type of gambling game in which players place cash or paper tickets with barcodes into a slot on a machine that activates reels and pays out credits based on a paytable. These machines are often designed with a specific theme, such as pirates, circus clowns, or classic fruits. Many casinos offer a variety of different slots. Some feature progressive jackpots while others have fixed rewards that can be won at any betting level.
A slot is a position in a group, series, or sequence; an assigned place or time; a berth, billet, job, or other occupation. It also refers to the area of a computer into which a printed circuit board can be inserted, often along with bays for disk drives. The term “slot” is also used in aviation to describe a runway position or an arrival/departure window reserved by an airline. It may be fixed or flexible, depending on the schedule of a given airport.
In football, a slot receiver is a diminutive receiver who excels at running shorter routes on the route tree such as slants and quick outs. Because they are typically smaller than boundary receivers, slot receivers require speed and agility to break free from defenders. They are an essential part of any successful offense because they allow teams to stretch the defense vertically without having to rely on pure size and strength.
Slots are the openings in a plane’s wings or tail surface that connect with a high-lift or control device. They are usually designed to mate with another component, such as an aileron or flap, to provide a smooth flow of air over the upper surface. The term is sometimes used to describe an air gap between a main wing and an auxiliary airfoil.