A slot is a place, time, or position. In the US, a slot is an allocation of space on a television or radio schedule. A slot is also a place, time, or position in a queue for goods, services, or admission to an event. The term can refer to the amount of time that a particular program is allocated each week or the number of slots available for tickets at a concert.

In a slot machine, a random number sequence is generated by the computer. It then looks up the corresponding reel locations and causes the reels to stop at those positions. When a symbol matches the combination, the game gives the player a payout.

Unlike in the past, where one slot machine might have a certain percentage of wins, microprocessors inside modern slots allow manufacturers to assign different probabilities for each symbol on each reel. This means that a player can appear to have a “so close” win, but in reality the chances are much lower.

The specific arrangement of the slot machine’s symbols and payouts are described in a pay table. This is usually provided by the slot machine manufacturer and explains how the machine pays out. In addition to the paylines, video slots often feature a variety of other special symbols that can trigger bonus rounds or scatter pays. These can take the form of free spins, pick-a-prize interactions, or mystery bonuses. The amount of money that the game pays out on a winning spin is called the jackpot.