(computer) A position or area on a disk or in memory where a specific type of object can be stored. For example, a slot could be used to store information about the current state of a game. A slot is not to be confused with a container, which holds or manages dynamic items such as images and text.

Originally, electromechanical slot machines had a limited number of symbols and a fixed number of possible combinations. This reduced jackpot sizes and the amount of money a player could win with each spin. When manufacturers incorporated electronic components into their machines, however, they were able to increase the number of possible combinations and add different types of symbols. Each symbol occupied one stop on a physical reel, but the electronic system allowed each symbol to appear on multiple reels and occupy many stops. This increased the likelihood of hitting a winning combination and greatly increased jackpot sizes.

In addition to increasing jackpots, the use of electronics also made it possible for the software to weight symbols and pay tables. This meant that a particular symbol had a much greater chance of appearing on the payline than it had in a mechanical machine. When a specific symbol appears on the payline, the machine pays out credits according to its pay table. This table, which is typically printed on the machine’s face or a help menu on a video slot, will tell you how much you can win for each combination of symbols and how to activate bonus features.

A slot is also a position in a group or series, as well as an area of the ice hockey rink. Sports aficionados know the importance of the slot in terms of defensive strategy and in helping to control the flow of the game. The slot is the area between the wide receiver and the defensive back, and it’s a critical piece of the puzzle for any team.

The word slot is derived from the Middle Low German slitt and Proto-Germanic sleutana, both of which relate to the verb sleutana, meaning “to lock.” The modern usage of the term is probably influenced by the similarity between slot and the English spelling slat.

In a computer, a slot is a dynamic placeholder that either waits for content to be added by a scenario or calls out to a renderer to fill in the contents. Scenarios and renderers work in tandem to deliver content to a web page.