A slot is a narrow aperture or channel, usually circular, used to accommodate a rod or pin. (Also: hole, slit, vent, vacancy)
A player inserts cash or, in “ticket-in, ticket-out” machines, a paper ticket with a barcode into a designated slot on the machine. The machine then activates a set of reels and symbols, or a pay line. If the symbols match a winning combination in the pay table, the player earns credits based on that pay table. The payout values of different symbols differ from game to game. Some slots also feature bonus features, which are designed to further increase the player’s chances of winning.
While Hirsch can be seen as an innovator in terms of casino financial management, William “Si” Redd is considered by many to be the true inventor of modern slot machine technology. His ideas and actions led to a series of milestones that transformed the machines from a peripheral element of the casino business model into its leading source of revenue today. UNLV’s Oral History Research Center contains an extensive interview with Redd.
If a player needs to step away from their machine for a short break, they can use the service button to request a temporary lockout. This will prevent their machine from being occupied by another player until the timeout period expires, typically after 10-15 minutes. If the machine is not reactivated within the timeout period, the slot attendant can unlock it with the service card that was used to request the lockout.