A slot is a dynamic placeholder that either waits for content (a passive slot) or calls out for it (an active slot). A slot is one of several elements of a scenario that can deliver or request content on the Web page. A scenario contains an Add Items to Slot action or a targeter to fill a slot with the desired content; renderers specify how that content will be presented.

Slots are a type of gambling machine that allows players to insert cash or, in the case of “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode into a designated slot on the machine’s reels. The reels then spin, displaying symbols in a pattern. When the symbols match a winning combination, the player receives credits based on the payout table. Most slots are designed with a specific theme, and many feature classic symbols such as fruits, bells, and stylized lucky sevens.

A pay table is a document that displays how a particular slot game pays out, including jackpots and other features. The term is also used to describe the area on a video screen where this information can be displayed. It may be displayed as a chart with columns and rows that display various combinations of symbols, with the highest paying combinations at the top of the list and lower ones toward the bottom. Most slot games also have on-screen pay tables that are divided into multiple pages or slides, which can be cycled through to view different sections of the pay table.