In computing, a slot is a place in the system where data can be stored and retrieved. It may refer to a physical expansion slot in a motherboard or to a virtual position in the case of a computer memory card.

The slots in a computer allow for expansion cards to be installed to increase the amount of memory that can be used. This is very useful when working with large files or programs that require lots of memory. It is also possible to save the data on a drive or other storage device and load it into a slot later on in order to retrieve that information quickly.

Unlike the early machines that were all-or-nothing affairs, where you pulled the lever and either all the cherries or lucky sevens lined up to give you money, modern slot machines are sophisticated pieces of equipment with multiple paylines, different jackpots, and more interesting games. This has helped them attract more players and make more profits.

In football, a slot receiver is a player who can play both outside the linebackers and inside the defensive backs. This allows them to stretch the defense vertically off pure speed and gives the offense more options, including slants. It has become more important as teams move away from power football and toward a more spread-out offense. This has allowed fast, smaller players like Tyreek Hill and Brandin Cooks to dominate by using their speed to get open against linebackers and nickel backs.