What is a Slot?
Slot can mean:
An opening or hole into which something can be inserted, such as a disk drive. A piece of hardware, such as a printed circuit board, into which another can be plugged, such as an expansion card for a computer. A position or place in an activity, such as the high slot in hockey where a defenseman can take a blistering slap shot. The term can also refer to a set time for an event, such as the start of a class or a meeting.
A number of slots in a game of chance. In modern casinos, slots are characterized by their degree of randomness, with some having higher percentages of winning than others. Many of these changes have been driven by the fact that today’s multi-line slot machines no longer are just a single horizontal line on a video screen; they may have up to 1024 different lines, each with a distinct probability of appearing.
To make a winning line, the player selects one or more symbols to bet on and then pushes the spin button. When the reels stop, if any of the selected symbols match, the player receives credits based on how much he bet previously. To support positive gambling behavior, some slot machines offer gamblers the ability to control their stake size. This feature, called Taste, allows players to win small amounts without increasing their bets. If they lose, however, they must quit the machine.