A thin opening or groove in something, used to insert or pass something through: You can put letters and postcards into the mail slot at the post office. Also, the time of day when a visitor can be accommodated: I tried to schedule an appointment for this afternoon but all the slots were taken.

During a game of slot, players place cash or, on ticket-in, ticket-out machines, paper tickets with barcodes, into a designated slot to activate the machine. A lever or button (physical or on a touchscreen) then spins and stops the reels to rearrange the symbols and determine winning combinations. When symbols line up, the player receives credits according to the pay table displayed on the machine. The payout amounts vary from one machine to another. Classic symbols include fruits, bells, and stylized lucky sevens. Bonus symbols, which trigger special feature rounds, are often displayed along the pay lines.

Without a quality slot receiver, quarterbacks have a difficult time stretching the field and attacking all three levels of the defense. Some of the best slot receivers in NFL history have exemplified this position, including Wayne Chrebet (4,736 receptions, 8,259 yards, and 41 touchdowns over his 11-year career), Wes Welker (5,060 receptions, 6,818 yards, and 60 touchdowns over his 12-year career), and Charlie Joiner (643 receptions, 10,205 yards, and 84 touchdowns over his 18-year career).

The most important skills for a slot receiver are route running, agility, speed, and precision timing. They need to be able to run every route possible and sync up with their quarterback for success. They’re also responsible for blocking on outside run plays and picking up blitzes from linebackers and secondary players.