A narrow notch, groove, or opening, such as a keyway in machinery or a slit for a coin in a vending machine. (colloquial) A position in a group, series, or sequence: He had the slot as head copy editor.

A slit, hole, or opening that provides a way to enter something: The man stuck his hand into the open slot of the car door.

An authorization to take off or land at an airport at a specific time and on a particular day during a specified time period, as assigned by air traffic control: The airline received 40 slots for the new route.

In gambling, the slot is an area on a machine’s reels where a symbol can be placed to win credits based on the paytable. Depending on the game, symbols vary from classic objects such as fruits and bells to stylized lucky sevens. Most slots have a theme and feature different symbols and bonuses aligned with that theme.

While many players think they are due a big payout from a slot machine, there is no way to know what will happen during a given spin. All machines are controlled by a random number generator, so the result of any given spin is completely random. It’s important to understand the basics of slot terminology to maximize your winning potential.