A slot is the time, with a window of -5 to +10 minutes, when an airplane is scheduled to be at the airport, ready for take-off. This is determined by a number of factors, including air traffic control restrictions, staff availability, weather, etc.
The slot receiver gets his name from where he lines up pre-snap on the field, positioning himself a step or two off the line of scrimmage between the tight end and offensive tackle. But he’s much more than just that – a good Slot receiver has strong route running skills, great awareness of the defense and can block effectively, too. On running plays like sweeps and slants, he’s an important blocking cog in the offense and can also act as a big decoy for the ball carrier.
While it’s a common sight on Vegas casino floors to see patrons moving from slot machine to slot machine, hoping to hit that big jackpot, it’s not going to happen. The payout structure for modern machines is decided by a random number generator, which generates numbers in an immense spectrum and decides the outcome of each spin. This is despite the fact that there are numerous blogs and forums of gamblers suggesting that some machines are “hot” or “cold,” but this is just a matter of luck, not strategy. The only way to improve your chances of winning is to play more often and learn the game better.