A slot is a narrow opening or slit in which something can be inserted. A slot is also a term used in aviation to describe an authorization from an airport or air-traffic control authority for a plane to take off or land. Air traffic managers use slots to manage the flow of aircraft at highly-busy airports.

The term slot is often used in gaming to refer to the number of paylines and symbols on a particular machine, the payout schedule, and other descriptive information. This information is usually provided by the manufacturer. When gambling, it is important to test the payout percentages of each machine before putting in your money. A good way to do this is by putting in a few dollars and seeing how much you get back after some time has passed. If you are consistently getting a high amount of money back, it is likely that you are playing on a loose machine.

The term slot can be used in business to refer to a time-based schedule for meeting deadlines and work objectives. Using slot scheduling can help employees prioritize tasks and monitor progress towards meeting specific objectives. This method of prioritizing can improve productivity and efficiency by providing staff with the information they need to meet important objectives. It is also a useful tool for tracking urgent deadlines and ensuring that team members are aware of changes to the schedule. These updates can include new meetings, revised project timelines or updated meeting times.