In a casino, a slot is a digital reel that spins to display symbols. When matching symbols land on a payline, you win. Each turn of the slot is determined by a random number generator (RNG), a computer chip inside each machine that makes a thousand mathematical calculations per second. A slot machine can be one of the most profitable casino games, but it can also be the most frustrating. Getting greedy or betting more than you can afford to lose are the two biggest pitfalls when playing slots.

A slot is a dynamic placeholder that either waits for content to be added to it (a passive slot) or calls out for content from a repository to fill it (an active slot). Scenarios, which use actions and targeters to control what gets inserted into slots, are the key to managing the contents of your Web site.

A slot receiver is a wide receiver who specializes in running short routes, such as slant and switch patterns, against linebackers. These routes require speed and a twitchy catch radius to beat the coverage. A good slot receiver is normally shorter than a primary wide receiver, but he must be fast to get open and juke the linebacker.