1. a slit or other narrow opening for receiving something, as a coin or letter. 2. a position or assignment, as in a job or a slot on a committee. 3. a space, niche, or vacancy.
Generally speaking, slots act as dynamic placeholders that either wait to receive content (a passive slot) or are called upon by a scenario (an active slot). They do not contain any content on their own but only the information about which the content can be delivered. The content is then filled by a renderer or by using an action that adds a repository item to the slot (a scenario).
Initially, when slots were invented they were quite simple and only required punters to keep track of a few pay lines, symbols and a single payout direction. However, as time went by and more bonus features were introduced, things got a bit more complex. This is when information tables were created. Often found within the main gaming screen of a slot machine, these information tables will display how a particular slot game pays out combinations of symbols, features the winning payout odds and much more. The most common winning combination in slot games is triggered from left to right on the reels, although there are some exceptions that will pay out if the symbols match anywhere on the screen. In addition, the information tables will also list if the machine has any bonus features and what these entail.