A slot is a narrow, elongated depression, groove, or notch, especially one for receiving something, such as a coin or letter. The term can also refer to a position in a program or schedule: “The program was given a new slot on the broadcasting schedule.” In computer science, a slot is a logical connection between two parts of a program’s source code that is made invisible to the programmer by obfuscation.
In the early days of electromechanical slot machines, players would simply walk up to the machine, insert a coin and pull a lever to start playing. Today, slot games are much more complex and can include multiple pay lines and bonus features. They can even be themed after popular movies, television shows or rock bands.
Although a majority of gamblers view gambling as harmless entertainment, a small subset can experience severe gambling-related problems. This includes serious psychological distress, financial debt, relationship difficulties and involvement in illegal activities (Blaszczynski & Sharpe, 2005; Lahn, 2004). Because of these concerns, it is imperative to understand what makes slot machines so appealing to some gamblers. One such characteristic is that, unlike other forms of gambling, slots do not require long waits for feedback. Instead, each spin provides immediate auditory and visual feedback, with larger wins providing more extensive feedback (Dixon et al., 2012). These findings support the theory that reward reactivity (PRP and force as a function of win size) contributes to enjoyment of slot play.