1. (computing) A space on a disk or in memory where a specific type of data can be stored. 2. A narrow notch, groove or opening, as in a keyway or the slit of a vending machine.
A slot in a web page is a dynamic placeholder that either waits for content to be loaded (passive slot) or calls out for content to be loaded into it (active slot). Slots are controlled by scenarios which either reference a repository of content or use a targeter to specify the presentation of the content.
3. In a physical slot machine, where the reels are physically large metal hoops (or more likely these days, images on a video screen), each of the stops on the reel has a particular chance of landing on a specific symbol. This is determined by the machine’s “par sheet,” which specifies the weighting of each symbol and each blank space on a reel. The computer records the sequence of numbers and matches them to a stop on the reels.
Casino managers are reluctant to increase the odds of winning on their slot machines, because this may cause players to switch casinos. One way they can do this is by secretly increasing the house edge on certain machines without bringing it up to par with other casinos’ offerings. This can be difficult to detect, however, because a player is unlikely to notice that the odds on a particular machine have changed if they play there regularly.
