A slot is a narrow notch, groove or opening, as in a keyway in machinery or a slit for coins in a vending machine. It can also refer to a position in a group, series or sequence, as in “the slot of a car’s window.” In computer technology, a slot is a place for an expansion card such as an ISA, PCI, AGP or memory card.

The slot in football refers to the spot on the field where a wide receiver lines up, usually in a position between and slightly behind outside wide receivers. A slot receiver is typically smaller and faster than outside wide receivers, and he must excel at running precise routes in order to beat the defense. He must also be able to block on running plays, as he is in a critical position for sweeps and slants.

Online slots have allowed designers to let their imaginations run wild, creating bonus events that are unique to the game. From the Crime Zone in NetEnt’s Cash Noire to outer-space cluster payoffs in ReelPlay’s Cosmic Convoy, these bonus rounds are designed to complement the gameplay and add a new dimension to the game. They are often triggered by landing on specific symbols on the reels, or by reaching a certain point in the game’s progression.

While a slot may have a particular theme, all machines have a common set of features: a pay table, reels and a spin button. A player inserts cash or, in ticket-in, ticket-out machines, a paper ticket with a barcode into the slot and activates the machine by pressing the button (either physical or virtual). When the reels stop spinning, winning combinations are paid out based on the number of matching symbols and the amount of money staked. Symbols vary depending on the theme, but classics include fruit, Liberty Bells, bars and stylized lucky sevens.

A slot is a connection on a server that is reserved for one user. For example, a server with four slots can accommodate up to four users simultaneously. The number of slots on a server is displayed on its icon in the upper-left corner of the dashboard. The slots are categorized by percentile — for example, the 99th percentile represents usage that is below the average of the top and bottom 10%. Slot recommender uses this data to provide recommendations, which are displayed as insights, in the Chart options pane and in the pricing model drop-down menu. These insights allow you to proactively focus on important patterns in usage and make informed decisions about resource purchase options. They can also help you reduce costs by comparing on-demand charges to flat-rate prices.