What Are Slots?

Slot

Slot is a game of chance in which you spin the reels to try to match symbols and win credits based on the paytable. Symbols vary by theme, but classic symbols include fruits, bells and stylized lucky sevens. Some slot games also have scatter and bonus symbols that trigger special features or award instant wins. Bonus features often align with a slot’s theme and may involve additional spins, extra reels or access to jackpots.

A narrow notch, groove or opening, such as a keyway in a machine or slit for coins in a vending machine. Also: a position in a group, series or sequence (see slat1 and slat2); the job or position of chief copy editor (also called slots).

The time allocated to an aircraft for takeoff or landing as authorized by an airport or air-traffic control authority. Also: a position in an ice hockey team’s zone that affords a vantage point for attacking the opponent’s goal.

A type of scheduling method that uses set periods of time for meeting deadlines and other project milestones. This approach can help professionals organize work and support consistency in their workflow. For example, health care providers can use slot-based schedules to organize urgent care appointments, routine check-ups and consultations with new clients. Using time slots can also help managers monitor the status of projects and ensure that teams are on track to meet their goals. If you are a developer, you can also use slot-based schedules to enable staged deployment for your apps.