A slot is a narrow opening in a machine or container, for example a hole that you put coins in. When someone says that something slots into something, it means that the object fits there perfectly: a coin slotted into the machine. A slot can also refer to a time period when an event will take place: The tour of Europe has two slots in October.
In computer science, a slot is an area on a motherboard or other device that can hold a specific type of expansion card. The card may plug into a slot that is connected to a CPU, memory, or other devices. A slot is also a logical way to group together multiple items, such as files, in a storage system.
(American football) The third receiver on offense, positioned in front of the linemen and directly opposite the tight end. The position requires excellent athletic ability and conditioning to cover a lot of ground in coverage, as the player is constantly moving. In the NFL, the slot is primarily covered by the defensive backs, who must be able to play press coverage as well as off-man coverage.
Some people believe that a slot machine is more likely to pay out after a cold streak than it is during a hot streak. However, this is not true, as the random number generator on a slot machine does not take into account previous spins. The only reliable way to predict when a slot machine will pay out is to visit the machine frequently and note the size of the jackpot each time. Then, each time the jackpot decreases, compare it to your previous noted maximum.
