A slot (plural: slots) is a narrow aperture or groove, especially one that can be used to hold a pin or other fastener. It is also a term used in computing to refer to a location where hardware can be added, such as additional memory or a video card.

In football, a slot receiver is a smaller wide receiver who can stretch the defense vertically off pure speed. They are often paired with a more traditional wide receiver, creating mismatches for the defense and giving the offense greater big-play potential.

In a casino, a slot machine is a gambling device that accepts paper tickets with barcodes or coins. When activated, it spins reels and pays out credits based on a pay table. The winning combinations of symbols vary by game, but classics include fruits, bells, and stylized lucky sevens. The pay tables for slot machines are usually located on the face of the machine, above and below the reels, or within a help menu. Some slot games have a Wild symbol that can substitute for other symbols to complete a winning line. Slot games have a high variance, meaning that they don’t pay out large wins very frequently. However, they are known to keep players seated and betting for long periods of time. Psychologists have found that people who play slot machines reach a debilitating level of involvement with gambling three times faster than those who play other casino games.