A slit or narrow opening, especially one for receiving something, as in the mail.

A slot is a position or place in sequence or series: Her show has the eight o’clock slot on Thursdays.
A slit or narrow opening, especially in a door or window.
A narrow opening in a computer or other machine for accepting coins or paper tickets.
A device that displays a sequence of numbers and determines the outcome of a game, such as a roulette wheel, a slot machine, or a video poker machine.

The term slot is also used to refer to a specific number in a sequence or a number pattern: The car rolled into the ninth digit of its serial number, so it was eligible for the new car slot.

In a slot machine, a player inserts cash or, in the case of “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode, into a slot and activates it by pushing a lever or button (physical or on a touchscreen). The reels spin and stop to rearrange the symbols, and if the player matches a winning combination as determined by the pay table, they receive credits based on the payout schedule. The symbols and theme vary by machine, but classics include fruits, bells, and stylized lucky sevens.

Slots can be addictive, especially because they provide immediate results and a sense of accomplishment without much thought or effort. However, there are ways to curb your cravings and stay in control.