A slot is a thin opening or groove in something, as in a keyway on a piece of machinery or a slit for a coin in a vending machine. It can also be used as a colloquial term for a jackpot.

A Slot Receiver

In football, a Slot receiver is usually a smaller and faster wide receiver who can stretch the defense vertically off pure speed, and can also run slants and short routes on the route tree. They’re a critical part of running plays designed to the outside portion of the field, and they may also need to block nickelbacks and other defensive players at times.

They’re also crucial on some of the more complicated passing plays that utilize a three-wide formation. In many cases, the Slot receiver will be called into pre-snap motion by the quarterback to help the play.

Some of these Slot receivers will act as ball carriers at times, as well. They will often be asked to run pitch plays, reverses and end-arounds.

The Pay Table

If you’re playing slots, it’s important to read the pay table before you start playing. It will tell you everything you need to know about the game, including payouts, special features and betting requirements. In addition, it will tell you if there’s a progressive jackpot and how much you need to bet to win it.