In ice hockey, a slot is a rectangular area in front of the blue line. The term also refers to the fourth position in a flying display. The word slot comes from the Latin root *sleutana, which means to strike. It is cognate with the German word schloss.
Slots are assigned due to the traffic flow constraints of an airport or in the airspace. Usually, the slots are assigned based on a window of -5/+10 minutes. Alternatively, they may be assigned randomly. For a particular aircraft, there may be several slots assigned for the same flight. This can be very useful when the same flight is making multiple stops in a day. Using this method can help avoid repeated delays.
The pay tables on slot machines are designed to maximize the amount of money won from winning combinations. For example, if three symbols line up on a winning line, you will win a credit. The pay table is found on the face of the machine or in a help menu. Older machines usually have them listed above the wheel. Video slot machines, on the other hand, display them on the help menu.
The first fully electromechanical slot machine was developed by Bally in 1963. However, the concept was already evident in the company’s 1940s draw-poker machine, the Money Honey. The Money Honey, which had a bottomless hopper, had a high level of popularity. It also featured an automatic payout of up to 500 coins. The popularity of Money Honey led to the introduction of the first fully electronic slot machine. It also rendered the side lever a relic.