Until 1992, slot machines were only found in small shops or gambling halls. The first electromechanical slot machine, the High Hand, was created by Bally in 1963. The machine featured an automatic payout of up to 500 coins.
Slots are also used to manage air traffic at busy airports. For instance, one of the best shots in hockey is a well-placed one-timer from the high slot.
Other slot-related items are the “slotted” puck and the “tilt” of the machine. The tilt is a technical term derived from electromechanical slot machines’ tilt switches. The tilt switch would break the circuit when tilted, and would trigger an alarm if it wasn’t.
A “slot” is a hole or notch. The slot in the machine is a narrow opening. It allows air to flow smoothly over the wing.
The slot is also the name of the rectangle in ice hockey where the puck is unmarked between the face-off circles. The low slot is a spot in front of the goaltender, and the high slot is a spot in the middle of the ice.
A slot is also the name of a small box that can be used to place coins into. It is also a narrow opening between two rails. Symbols are often limited to the size of the jackpot, and the slot’s size is an indication of the size of the jackpot.
A slot is also a time slot. Slots are used to assign positions in sequence.