(adjective) 1. A position or time in which an aircraft is scheduled to take off or land, as authorized by an airport or air-traffic authority. 2. A narrow notch or other similar opening between the tips of the primaries of certain birds, during flight, to maintain a smooth flow of air over the wings. 3. A space in a computer file system that holds one or more files, allowing the system to quickly locate and display them. 4. In ice hockey, a unmarked area near the front of an opponent’s goal that affords a vantage for an attacking player.

Slots can be one of the most fun and exhilarating casino games, but if you’re not familiar with how they actually work, you may be surprised by how easily it is to lose control. To avoid this, it’s important to set a game plan before you spin the reels. Determine in advance how much you want to spend, and stick with it. Know what you’re playing for — check the pay table to learn more about the payouts, and be sure to choose your pay lines. And never assume that a machine will payout just because you’ve seen someone else win. This is a myth, and chasing ‘due’ payouts will only cost you money. Every winning combination is determined by the random number generator, and there’s no way to know when it will strike. You can, however, look for a machine that has recently cashed out — its cashout amount is displayed next to the number of credits remaining on the screen.