A slot is a narrow opening in something, usually a machine or container. A coin slot is an example. You drop a coin into it to make the machine work. You can also use the term to mean a position or time in which something can take place. A person might book a flight or concert ticket for the next slot.
Penny slots are designed to be extra appealing, with a profusion of lights and jingling jangling noises to lure players into the game. However, it’s important to keep your budget in mind and stop before your bankroll runs out.
Online slots work almost exactly as you’d expect – you choose your coins, click the spin button, and then watch the digital reels spin. If the correct combination of symbols appears on a payline, you win. A pay table lists the symbols, their values, and how much you’ll win if they line up. Older machines may have three tiers of five reels (15 stops or “squares” total) while newer ones can have up to 100 pay lines that zigzag across the reels.
An airport slot gives an airline the right to operate at certain times at a congested airport, either for runway throughput or parking space. Airlines compete to get slots, and they can be traded – for instance Kenya Airways sold its early morning Heathrow landing slot for $75 million in 2016. Air traffic management slots are allocated by EUROCONTROL as part of their network management function.