In the context of airport coordination, a slot is an authorization to take off or land at a particular runway during a specified time period. Air traffic controllers use slots to manage extremely busy airports and prevent repeated delays that result from too many flights trying to take off or land at the same time.

A narrow depression, groove, notch, or slit, especially one for receiving a coin or other object. The machine has a slot for a coin in its base. The program received a new time slot on the broadcasting schedule.

The term slot also refers to the position of a player on a football team. In American football, the third defensive back is known as the “slot corner.” Unlike the cornerback and safety positions, the slot requires excellent athletic ability to cover fast receivers who catch the ball away from the defense. The slot corner is often tasked with both press and off-man coverage.

In a casino, a slot is a mechanical device that displays symbols on its reels and pays out credits according to a paytable. A player inserts cash or, in “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode, then activates the machine by pressing a button or pulling a handle. The machine then spins the reels, and stops when a winning combination is displayed. Symbols vary by machine, but classics include fruits, bells, and stylized lucky sevens.

One of the most important things to remember about playing slots is that a machine’s results are random. Don’t waste your money chasing a hit that you think is due; it just won’t happen. The random number generator inside each slot machine makes dozens of combinations per second, and only the ones that hit a winning combination will receive a payout.