A narrow notch, groove or opening, such as one for a key in a lock or a slit in a door. Also: A position or period in a schedule or program, especially one reserved for an activity.

A slot is a dynamic placeholder that either waits for content (a passive slot) or calls out to the renderer to fill it (an active slot). The contents of a slot are dictated by a scenario using an Add Items to Slot action or by a targeter specifying the content to load.

In a game of skill, the player moves a piece or set of pieces into a specified slot on the board. Depending on the game, this may be to advance a piece along an established path or to cover a certain number of spaces.

Slot is also the name of a type of machine used to accept cash or, in “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, paper tickets with barcodes. When activated by a lever or button, it spins the reels and pays out credits according to the paytable. Most slot machines have a theme, with symbols and bonus features aligned to it.

A slotback in American football is a back who lines up close to the quarterback and receives passes, as opposed to more traditional running or blocking. This type of back is popular in today’s pass-heavy NFL, with stars like Darren Sproles and Larry Fitzgerald. The term is also sometimes applied to any wide receiver who receives a lot of passing assignments, regardless of position or skill level.