A slot is a narrow opening for receiving or admitting something, such as a coin or letter. It can also refer to a position or job, such as the chief copy editor’s slot on the editorial staff. The term can also refer to a computer expansion slot, such as an ISA, PCI or AGP slot on a motherboard.
Charles Fey’s invention was a step forward from Sittman and Pitt’s machines as it allowed automatic payouts, used three reels instead of five, and featured fruit symbols in place of the poker card icons. This change is why his machine is known as a ‘fruit machine’ in Britain and Australia, where these games are more commonly played.
The sixties were a turbulent time in many respects, but for the casino industry, it brought about a revolution with the advent of electromechanical slots. These machines were more reliable and allowed for a higher payout than their mechanical counterparts. They also made it possible for players to select their own paylines and thus maximize their win potential.
The payout values of a particular slot machine are defined by its pay table, and these can be found either on the face of the machine or within a help menu. The fixed payout amounts are multiplied by the number of coins per line that is being bet. Modern video slots may offer up to 100 different paylines, whereas reel machines typically have just a few predetermined pay lines.