A slot is a narrow opening, such as one through which a coin or other item can be inserted. The term is also used for a place or position, as in “a time slot” for a meeting.

The pay table is the information on a particular slot machine that shows how much you can win if symbols appear on the machine’s pay line. This is displayed on the face of the machine and, on older machines, can be found above and below the reels. The pay table can also list the regular payout values for each symbol and indicate whether or not a machine has bonus features.

Many slot machines accumulate a jackpot that increases with each play. Knowledgeable players can use this feature to gain an advantage by observing the specific conditions under which the machines offer positive expected value and understanding how to make use of the machines’ mechanics. These strategies require no split second calculations or advanced mathematical skills, and the opportunities are often visible and easy to understand.

In computing, a slot is a dynamic placeholder that either waits for content to be added (passive) or actively calls out for it (active). Slots and scenarios work in conjunction to deliver content to pages; renderers specify how that content should be displayed. A slot can contain content of a single type (Media-image, for example), or it can be configured to use multiple types. A slot that uses multiple types is called a multi-scenario slot.