A slot is a narrow opening in the primaries of certain birds, used to maintain airflow over the wings while flying. Also a term for an allocated time for aircraft to take off or land, as authorized by the relevant airport or air-traffic authority.
In computing, a slot (also known as an expansion slot) is a socket in the motherboard or on the back of the computer case, into which a hardware device can be inserted to add functionality, such as video acceleration, sound control, disk drive capability, and USB port connections. Almost all desktop computers have slots for adding additional capabilities.
When playing slot games, players often have to keep track of a lot of information. To help them, most slot machines have pay tables that show the payouts and symbols for each game. Some also have bonus features that can be triggered by specific combinations of symbols. The pay table will usually display how the symbols work, along with any special requirements to activate them.
Have you ever played a slot machine and noticed how long it goes without paying out any winnings? This is because the machines are supposed to be random, but they sometimes feel more like Goldfish than anything else. The reason is that all slot machines are linked to a central computer, which records the deposits, wins and losses of each player. The computer then chooses which outcomes are generated when you press the spin button.