A slot is a dynamic placeholder that either waits passively for content to call it (passive slot) or actively calls out to be filled with content (active slot). Slots work in tandem with scenarios and renderers. Scenarios are used to specify what content to add to a slot, and slots and renderers are used to manage its presentation on the page.

In a machine that pays out credits based on the number of matching symbols, a player inserts cash or, in “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode into a slot. The machine then activates reels that spin and stop, rearranging the symbols to create winning combinations. The symbols vary, but classic symbols include fruit, bells, and stylized lucky sevens. Most slot games have a theme, and symbols and bonus features are aligned with that theme.

The slots are a good place to try out a machine for the first time, especially for those who don’t want to commit to an expensive jackpot game. Many casinos also offer free spins to new players, as well as tiered loyalty schemes that allow players to earn bonus money over time.

A position or assignment in a job, school, etc.: He had a slot as a junior copy editor on the Gazette editorial staff. Also called berth, billet, position, spot, window, vacancy. See also hole, groove, slit, vent, and aperture. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.