A slot is a narrow opening, especially one for receiving something. It may also refer to a position within a sequence or series, or an opportunity or assignment.
The slot receiver is typically the third string wideout who lines up in the middle of the field and plays on passing downs. They are responsible for blocking, running long routes to open up passes underneath, and sometimes getting involved in trick plays like end-arounds. Great slot guys like Wes Welker can even get a first down on some special teams by sprinting through traffic.
Slots are tall machines that spin reels to randomly arrange symbols. When a winning combination is displayed on the screen, players earn credits according to the paytable. Depending on the machine, symbols can include classic objects such as fruits and bells or stylized lucky sevens. Most slots have a theme, with bonus features that align with the theme.
Unlike the myths about hot and cold machines, the result of each spin at any slot is determined by random numbers generated by a computer program called an RNG (random number generator). This program runs thousands of mathematical calculations per second until it stops on a specific number that correlates to a particular symbol on a given reel. Hence, there is no such thing as a “due” payout. However, many people continue to try and find a way to predict the odds of winning, often by changing their machines or betting amounts.