What Is a Slot?

A slit or narrow opening, especially one for receiving something, as a coin or a letter. The word slot is also used to refer to a position in a sequence or series or to an assignment or job opening.

To slot is to fit something into a space where it fits easily, as in He was able to slot the CD into the player. Another use of the verb is in a phrase like This machine slots easily, meaning it is easy to operate.

You’ve checked in on time, made it through security, found your gate, queued to get on board and struggled with the overhead lockers, but your flight is still delayed. Why? Because the captain is waiting for a slot.

Probability chatter is near and dear to every gambler’s heart because it relates to the casino’s edge — the amount that casinos win on average over time from a bet. And although luck plays a big part in the game, gaining an understanding of the probability of winning can help you beat the house.

When you play a slot, the house edge is determined by dividing the number of ways an outcome can occur by the total number of possible outcomes. For example, a head and tails on a coin toss has two possible outcomes, so the probability of heads or tails is 12 (also known as 50% or 1:1). To figure out the probability of a specific outcome, you’ll need to know how many times you’ve played the game and what your bankroll is. This information can be difficult to come by, so some players choose to track their play and work out the percentages for themselves.