A slot is a narrow opening, as in a machine or container. The coin slot in a vending machine is an example. A slot can also mean the time of day that something happens. A person might book a time to meet someone at the slot.

Despite changes in technology, the basic concept of a slot machine remains the same. A person pulls a handle that spins a series of reels with pictures printed on them. If the pictures line up with a pay line (a line in the middle of the window), the player wins. The amount of the payout depends on which pictures appear and how many of them do so.

Conventional mechanical slot machines gave way to electrical ones that work in a similar fashion, although they generally have more elaborate money-handling systems and flashier lights and sounds. In both types of machines, once the reels stop spinning, a computer determines whether the player has won or lost.

Most modern slot games are programmed to weigh particular symbols differently from others, giving the impression that some are hot and some cold. This is a myth that stems from the fact that some individual symbols appear more frequently than others on any given reel, but it has no basis in reality. The actual odds of hitting a jackpot are determined by a random number generator, which is constantly cycling through hundreds of millions of possible combinations.

The word slot is also used in a technical sense, describing the width of a piece of metal, as in “The bolt slots into the nut.” Another meaning of the word is a narrow notch or groove, such as a keyway in machinery or a slit for a coin in a vending machine. A slot can also be a position in a group, series or sequence.

A wide receiver who lines up just outside the line of scrimmage is called a Slot receiver. The position requires a combination of speed and route-running skills. In addition to running precise routes, the Slot receiver is often asked to block on running plays, especially sweeps and slants.

A Slot receiver typically lines up a little closer to the line of scrimmage than other wide receivers, which puts him at risk for big hits from linebackers and defensive backs. He is also less likely to get open on deep routes because he’s usually smaller and shorter than other wide receivers. However, because the Slot receives so many different kinds of routes, he must be very versatile in order to succeed. This makes him a difficult player to defend.