A slot is a set of resources that are available to a process or application. These resources may include memory, disk space and other computing assets. Slots are often used to store data that will be accessed frequently and/or in high volume. The use of slots in a system allows for faster access to stored data and reduces overall storage costs.

In ice hockey, the slot is the area in front of the goaltender and between the face-off circles. Defensemen can rip blistering one-timer slap shots from the slot that are difficult for goalies to stop. The slot is also the place where a center or winger can take a quick one-timer that can go past the goalie.

The term “slot” is also used to refer to a slot in the motherboard of a computer. A standard motherboard has many expansion slots for adding peripheral devices. Some of these include ISA slots, PCI slots and AGP slots. Each of these slots is assigned a specific number based on its location in the motherboard and the type of connector it uses.

A “slot” is also a unit of time in casino games. In the past, players dropped coins into slots in order to activate them for each spin, but this became more convenient after the introduction of bill validators and credit meters. While these machines do not allow players to see the total amount of money paid into the machine, the player is able to keep track of the credits they have won. Psychologists have found that video slot machines cause gambling addiction three times as quickly as other types of casino games.