A slot is a narrow opening in a machine or container. It can also be a position or place in a group, series or sequence.
Some people try to “slot” a machine by playing it for a short period of time, or after getting some nice payouts (under the assumption that the machine will tighten up). However, this is useless because every spin is completely random. The machine will continue to give out hits at the same rate whether you play it for five minutes or an hour. It just might take longer to hit some of those spins.
Each machine has a pay table describing how much credits the player will receive if symbols line up on the “payline” of the machine. The pay table is listed on the face of each machine or, for video machines, in a help menu.
The biggest pitfall of playing slots is becoming greedy or betting more than you can afford to lose. Those are the two things that can turn a fun, relaxing experience into something that will make you want to pull your hair out. So remember to set limits before you get started and play responsibly. You’ll have a better chance of winning and staying in control. Good luck!