What is a Slot?
A narrow notch or groove, as in a keyway or the slit for coins in a slot machine. Also: a position in an activity or event, such as the area between the face-off circles on ice hockey rinks; or the space within a computer for an add-on card, such as a disk drive.
Online slots are based on one or more reels with symbols that spin randomly when a player presses the “spin” button. They pay out winnings if the symbols line up on a payline. They are controlled by random number generators (RNGs), which follow algorithms that cycle thousands of numbers each second. When the RNG comes up with a number, it corresponds to a symbol on the virtual reel, and the physical reel stops at that symbol. This process is repeated over and over until the winning combination appears on the screen. Modern video slots often feature more symbols than their mechanical ancestors, multiple paylines and immersive gameplay.