A narrow notch, groove or opening, such as a keyway in machinery or the slit for a coin in a vending machine. Also, a position in a group, series or sequence, as a time slot on a calendar.

In a slot game, symbols on the reels line up in one of several different ways to form a winning combination. These combinations earn the player credits based on a pay table, which is listed above and below the machine. Often, these games also include a number of bonus features, such as extra spins or jackpots that can be worth thousands of times the player’s original wager.

Flow management in cities is another example of slots, where congestion is minimized by limiting traffic to specific time periods. This reduces delays and fuel use, which can have a positive impact on the environment.

The word “slot” is also used to refer to a particular place or position in an activity, such as the high slot in hockey, where a defenseman can take a blistering slap shot. It can also refer to a container where dynamic content is delivered on a Web page, which is controlled by a scenario that uses the Add Items to Slot action or a targeter.

Many superstitions have grown around slot games, such as the belief that a machine is “hot” when it’s been paying out a lot lately. However, these myths are not based on reality; every spin of a slot machine is independent of its previous results.