A slot is a narrow notch, groove, or opening, such as a keyway in a machine or slit for a coin in a vending machine. The term may also refer to a specific time and place for an aircraft to take off or land, as authorized by an airport or air-traffic control authority: 40 more slots were added for the new airline at U.S. airports. Also see slit1 (def. 2).

The pay table shows how much a player can win by matching symbols on a pay line. The pay tables are displayed on the face of the machine above and below the reels or, in the case of video slot machines, within a help menu. Some slots have special symbols, like Wild symbols, that can substitute for others to complete a winning line.

In addition to the standard symbol symbols, some slots feature a bonus event that pays out an additional prize when triggered. These prizes can include anything from a mystery chase through the Crime Zone in NetEnt’s Cash Noir to outer-space cluster payoffs that replace the normal paylines in ReelPlay’s Cosmic Convoy.

Some slots are high volatility, meaning they don’t win often but when they do the payouts can be huge. Other slots are low or medium volatility, meaning they win frequently but their payouts are smaller. A hot slot is one that has a high POP and a high RTP – the percentage of money won (paid out) divided by the amount played over a certain timeframe (1 hr to 30 days). If the slots are below average for both POP and RTP, it is likely they will lose money in the long run.