A narrow notch, groove or opening, such as a slot for a key in a lock or a slit for coins in a vending machine. Also: a position in a group, series or sequence. (from Middle Low German slot, from West Germanic *skloofa, from Old High German *sklova, from Middle Dutch slot)
Slots are mechanical devices that spin reels with symbols on them and pay out if the symbols match up. The symbols vary, but they generally follow a theme and include numbers from nine through ace, letters, or other icons. Some machines even feature special symbols such as Wilds that can substitute for other symbols to complete winning combinations. A pay table explains what each symbol is worth, as well as how much you can win if you hit three or more of them on a pay line. A pay table can be displayed on the machine’s face, or, on older machines, printed above and below the area containing the reels. On video slots, the pay table is usually included in a help menu. Some slots also have nudge features, which allow the player to press a button and “nudge” the reels down one at a time for a limited number of attempts.