A slot is an air traffic management tool (at least in Europe) which allows for a more predictable schedule of take offs. It is implemented by a central flow management system that is run by Eurocontrol in Brussels. Basically, a plane will only be allowed to leave if it has a slot. This allows the airport to avoid congestion and save fuel because the airplane is not flying around in the air, waiting for a space to open up.
In football, a team isn’t complete without a great Slot receiver. Located between the tight end and the outside wideout, this position requires an extra level of skill and precision compared to other receiving positions. A Slot receiver must be good at every route imaginable and have excellent timing, as well as great chemistry with the quarterback to create big plays. They also need to be able to block, especially on running plays where they aren’t the ball carrier.
In the early days of slot machines, each symbol had a different probability of appearing on the payline. When microprocessors came into use, however, manufacturers could program a machine to weight particular symbols over others. This made it appear that a winning combination was “so close” to hitting when, in fact, the odds were much lower. This was a major change to the way that slots were played. It is a key reason why smart casino players always check the cashout and number of credits of a machine before playing it. If the number is high, then it has likely just paid out and a new player might be tempted to join in the action.
