A narrow depression, groove, notch, or slit, especially one for receiving or admitting something, such as a coin. Also: a position within a schedule or sequence, as of times for haircuts or meetings. Compare slit (def 2); slot (def 3).
The reels in a slot machine are not real — the spinning is a visual illusion created by the software that runs the random number generator that determines the outcome of a spin. When the machine receives a signal, from anything from the button being pushed to the handle being pulled, it sets a number, which then corresponds with the symbols that land on the reels. The number is then passed on to the next reel, and so on. The result is that each symbol has a different probability of landing on a payline.
Slot games can have anywhere from three to five reels and multiple paylines. Unlike the mechanical reels of traditional physical casinos, which were limited to ten symbols per reel, modern electronic slot machines can weigh symbols differently, allowing them to appear more often or less often than in the past. As a result, the odds of a losing symbol appearing on a payline are often disproportionate to their frequency on the reels.
Slot tournaments are casino games in which players compete to amass the most credits, usually in the form of virtual currency or actual cash, by playing the same game for a set amount of time. A player who reaches the highest total wins the prize.