A narrow notch, groove, or opening, such as a keyway in machinery or a slit for a coin in a vending machine. Also: a position or a time for an aircraft to take off or land, as assigned by an airport or air-traffic control.

In football, a receiver who lines up close to the offensive line and uses his speed and quick feet to shield defenders from opposing backs. He may also act as a ball carrier on pitch plays, reverses, and end-arounds. Slots need to be able to block, but they’re also expected to have decent hands and ball skills.

On a slot machine, a win occurs when a particular combination of symbols appears on the payline. Winning combinations vary from machine to machine, but will typically involve at least three matching symbols. Depending on the type of slot machine, there may be one or multiple paylines. These can be straight, zig-zag, or diagonal and will always run across the reels. Some slots allow players to adjust the number of paylines they wish to bet on, while others are fixed.

Most machines will display a “Paytable” or a HELP/INFO button that will explain the payout structure, paylines, and any bonus games that may be available. If the game has a progressive jackpot, details on how to qualify for it will be clearly displayed. Some slot machines have a ”Max Bet” or “Max Credits” option, and this will be clearly marked on the machine’s display.