The sixties were a turbulent time for many things but one of the biggest shakeups came in the form of slot machines. These flashy and lucrative pieces of casino equipment have transformed the gaming industry as we know it and can now be found in almost every gambling establishment on the planet. But what are slots and how do they work?

A narrow, elongated depression or groove, notch, slit, or aperture, especially a narrow opening for receiving or admitting something, as a coin in a vending machine or a letter in an envelope. Also: (in a cable street-railroad car) a narrow continuous opening between the rails, through which the grip on a carriage passes to connect with the traveling cable.

Often used as a metaphor for a position or place in a sequence or series: The new program has been allocated a slot on the broadcasting schedule.

In computing, a set of instructions that determines the sequence and order in which a task is executed: The system executes the shortest available slot.

Also: (in linguistics) a grammatical function into which a word can fit: This verb takes the third slot in the English language.

As with any form of gambling, it’s important to remember that winning at slots is largely down to luck and not skill. In addition, it’s wise to understand your bankroll limits and only risk a certain amount in each session so you don’t end up with any unexpected losses.