A slot is a place where a symbol can be inserted or placed. It may also refer to a position in a line, series, or sequence. For example, the slot for a coin in a vending machine is where a person drops the coin to activate the machine and receives the item.

Using slot-based schedules can help businesses to manage time more effectively. A health care provider, for example, might use time slots to schedule urgent visits, routine check-ups and consultations with new patients. Slot-based schedules can also help to ensure that clients are given the right appointment type and are not overbooked.

In the game of hockey, a slot is the area directly in front of the goaltender and between the face-off circles. It can also be referred to as the high slot or low slot. The first video slot machines were invented in Las Vegas in 1976, and were changed a bit to prevent cheating before they were approved by the gaming commission.

A slot is a special place in the display or interface of a computer that can be used to hold information. Depending on the type of slot, it can be used to display text, images or video. A slot can be a part of a window or menu bar, or it can be a separate, dedicated area within the software. For example, a web browser might display the user’s bookmarks in a slot, and the operating system might store settings or files in another slot.