A narrow notch, groove or opening, as in a keyway or slit in a machine, in which something is placed. Also: a place, position or time in which something is done; a slot in a game of chance; an air traffic management slot issued by EUROCONTROL.
In the old days, a slot was an all-or-nothing affair: you yanked a lever and either all of the cherries or lucky 7s lined up on the payline for you to win some money or all of them didn’t, in which case you walked away empty handed. The advent of computer technology, however, enabled manufacturers to weight symbols differently. This gave casinos such precise control over the odds of a winning combination that they were able to offer larger jackpots and more exciting games.
Some players believe that if they hit the spin button on a slot machine just as they see a winning symbol about to line up, they can control the outcome of the game and maximize their profits. However, the fact is that the slot machine is programmed to stop spinning as soon as it detects any type of abuse—slamming, kicking, nudging or lifting the machine off its foundation. It’s for this reason that slot machines are armor-plated and made from tempered glass, and they’re tested against many types of abuse before leaving the factory.
For some employees, slot-based scheduling can be used for organising work events such as informal team meetings and consultations with clients. It can also be applied to planning projects that have urgent deadlines, allowing staff members to keep track of their progress and ensure they meet their objectives.