A narrow opening, typically elongated and slit-like, used for receiving something, such as a coin or letter. Also, the position of a job or a machine on the schedule, such as that of chief copy editor. Compare with rim (def 2).
A slot is a place or position that receives a given amount of work. It may be a specialized role within an organization, such as that of chief copy editor or the front desk receptionist. A slot is also a specific time period within which something must be done. For example, a newspaper may run stories during the evenings, while mornings are reserved for news.
Slots are a universal casino favourite because they’re simple to play. Simply drop coins or, in “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode into a slot and then activate the machine by pressing a physical lever or button (or, on a touchscreen, by clicking on an icon). The reels spin and if matching symbols land on the paylines, players earn credits based on the game’s payout table.
The fact that slots are random means that changing machines after a big win isn’t going to make you any more likely to hit the jackpot on the next spin. In addition, the wiggle of the reels that makes some players believe that the machine is “due” to hit soon is not true, as each spin has an independent probability of winning or losing.