Slot is a slit or narrow opening, especially one for receiving something, as a coin or a letter. Also, a position in a group or series, or a job opening or assignment.
A slot is the area in a hockey game where wingers and centers have the best chance to score without deflection. The slot allows them to shoot with a straight-on view of the net and is considered a no man’s land by most defenders because scoring in this area can make a huge difference for an offensive team.
The term slot can also refer to a period of time during which something happens, such as an airplane’s takeoff or landing slot at an airport. It can also mean the amount of space available in a storage device, such as a hard drive or disk. Finally, it can refer to a particular time of day, such as a lunch break or an appointment.
A slot is also a term used to describe the probability of hitting a specific sequence on a slot machine’s reels. This probability is based on how many virtual stops correspond to the machine’s pay table and is shown in the window before the game begins. A slot’s volatility is also important to consider – high variance slots may not pay out as frequently as low variance machines, but when they do, the wins are larger. However, both types may have the same return to player (RTP). In computing, a slot can refer to an expansion slot on a motherboard that accepts ISA, PCI or AGP cards.