What is a Slot?

A gap in an aircraft wing to improve airflow. Also called slotted winglet.

A thin opening in something, such as a mail slot in a door or a slot on a video game controller. A slot can be lined with metal to improve its strength or with a plastic coating to reduce friction and prevent damage to the surface. A slot can also refer to:

Slot machine

A gambling machine that accepts cash or paper tickets with barcodes as payment. A slot may also have a number of symbols that vary depending on the theme of the machine. Many slots have a pay table that shows how much the player can win for landing certain combinations of symbols.

In some slot machines, the bonus round or feature must be earned by a series of spins before it becomes active. These machines are sometimes referred to as bankable or accumulator machines. Using this strategy, players can build up a bankroll and then cash out or leave the machine when they have achieved the bonus. Alternatively, they can wait for a more lucrative payout and then leave again.

Despite the fact that casinos are legally required to make sure their slot machines pay out less than they take in, some players still try to maximize their profits by moving between machines after a certain amount of time or after getting generous payouts (assuming the machine will tighten up). This is a waste of time and money. If a player can detect these hidden house advantages, they will simply move on to another casino.