A slot is a slit or narrow opening, especially one for receiving something. It can also refer to a place or position.
In a slot machine, a random number generator (RNG) selects the stops for each reel from a list of dozens of possible combinations. When a signal is received — anything from the button being pressed to the handle being pulled — the computer sets the reels to stop on the matching combination. Each possible sequence is assigned a number, so each time the RNG picks a new set of numbers it produces a different sequence of stops on the reels.
This means that when you play a slot and see another machine pay off, don’t assume the other machine was “due.” The odds of hitting a particular machine are so incredibly long that any random person who happens to be standing nearby could have been lucky enough to split second timing that same sequence.
Another thing to keep in mind is that a physical slot reel has a limited number of blank and symbol positions. Because of this, software designers created a virtual reel housed inside the computer chip in the slot machine that determines what symbols the physical reel will stop on. As a result, the actual slot machine does not need to have visible reels at all — the reels are there only as a visual aid. Slot machines have evolved to include video monitors, 3D graphics, and group competition. In addition, some have taken on pop culture personas to appeal to a younger generation of gamblers.
