A slot is a narrow opening, groove, or hole, as in a keyway or the slit for a coin in a vending machine. The term is also used of a position in a group, series, or sequence, such as the slot reserved for a specific person or aircraft at an airport. It is also used figuratively, as in “a slot of opportunity” or “a time to shine.” The first recorded use of the word was in 1888.

In football, the slot receiver (also called the flanker) is a wide receiver who is most effective when running deep patterns that require speed and evasion to avoid tackles. The slot is a crucial part of the offensive system because it allows the team to get the ball to the outside receivers and tight ends while allowing defenders to focus more on covering the short routes of the deeper receivers.

The slot is an important factor in any football offense, and a good slot receiver can make or break an entire team. The responsibilities of the slot receiver can vary from one team to another, but in general they should be fast and agile, have great hands, and be able to create their own separation. A good slot receiver can also be very reliable in the route running game, and should always be open for the reception.

A computer motherboard has a number of slots, including expansion slots for ISA cards and PCI cards. There are also a number of RAM slots. Each of these slots is assigned a particular memory capacity. When you buy a new CPU, it comes with a certain amount of memory installed in the slot you have chosen for it.

When you play a slot game, it is vital to understand the pay table. This is because the pay table tells you how to win and what symbols to look for in order to trigger the bonus features of a slot machine. The pay table is normally displayed close to the bottom of the screen and can be easily accessed by clicking an icon. It is often split up into several pages or slides, so you can read it at your leisure and be sure to understand all the rules.

A slot is a space in the wing or tail of an airplane for a high-lift device, such as flaps, that can increase lift when needed. In some cases, a slot is used to accommodate a control surface, such as an aileron. The word is also used figuratively to refer to a position in an organization or hierarchy, such as the slot of chief copy editor at a newspaper. A slot can also be a period of time when an airline can take off or land at a congested airport, as assigned by air-traffic controllers.