A narrow notch, groove, slit, or opening, as a keyway in machinery or a slot for a coin in a vending machine. Also, the position in a group, series, sequence, or hierarchy, as a job or role.
In the early days of slots, punters only had to keep track of a few pay lines and symbols. But as slots have evolved and more bonus features have been added, the number of possibilities has grown to the point where they can be difficult to keep track of on your own.
One of the ways to manage this complexity is by reading the pay table. This displays how a particular slot game pays its regular symbols and the payout amounts for matching them along a pay line. It may also explain what other symbols or combinations of symbols can trigger special bonus rounds and jackpots.
Another way to understand a slot is by watching the reels as they spin. Many players believe that when the reels wiggle, it means that the next spin is likely to be a winner. But this is untrue, as each individual spin has the same chance of landing on a win.