A slot is a position in a group, series, or sequence. It can also refer to a time-slot, such as one reserved for an airplane’s takeoff or landing. The term is also used to describe a space on a computer’s hard drive or other storage medium. For example, a CD-ROM might have multiple slots for different files.
A slots game is a machine that allows players to insert cash or, in the case of “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, paper tickets with barcodes, which are then activated by a lever or button (physical or virtual) on a console or touchscreen. The reels then rotate to randomly display symbols, and if a winning combination is created, the player receives credits according to the paytable. Most slot games have a theme, and symbols and bonus features are aligned with that theme.
The slot is a key offensive position in the NFL because it gives quarterbacks the ability to attack three levels of the defense with speedy pass receivers who can run routes up, in, and out. Slot receivers are often called upon to carry the ball on pitch plays and reverses, as well as on end-arounds, and they must be able to quickly get open in a crowd. In addition to catching passes, slot receivers also block for running backs and wideouts, picking up blitzes from linebackers and secondary players, and providing protection on outside run plays.
Slot is also the name of a type of airspace in which an aircraft may operate, as authorized by an airport or air-traffic control center. Generally, the slot is a short distance in front of an opposing aircraft that can be cleared by maneuvering the aircraft to a position where it can clear the opposing pilot’s airspace without causing the plane to descend below a safe altitude or violate air traffic control regulations.
A slot is a dynamic placeholder that either waits for content to be added to it (a passive slot) or calls out for the content to be added to it using a scenario or renderer (an active slot). Both slots and scenarios work together to deliver content to the page; renderers specify how the content should be presented. Slots are part of the Dynamic Content object model, which is used in many Web applications. In the past, they were referred to as content containers.