A slot is a position in a group, series or sequence. It can also refer to an assigned time for an aircraft to take off or land, as authorized by air traffic control. A slot is different from a slit, which refers to a narrow opening or notch between the tips of some bird wings that help maintain a smooth flow of air over the wings during flight.

In video slots, symbols are displayed on a screen and the player can press a lever or button to activate the reels. When the symbols match, the player earns credits based on the paytable and the number of active paylines. Most slots have a theme and classic symbols include fruits, bells and stylized lucky sevens. Some have bonus rounds and scatter pays.

In football, a slot receiver is a wide receiver that lines up close to the line of scrimmage on running plays and near the middle of the field on passing plays. These players are often smaller and quicker than traditional wide receivers and tend to be targeted on more passes. As a result, defensive coordinators have begun to employ a variety of strategies to slow down slot receivers. For example, they may use formations that confuse the defense or run routes that are similar to other receivers in order to confuse defensive backs and prevent them from reading patterns. In addition, they may utilize a nickel or dime package to reduce the number of pass attempts they receive.