What is a Slot?

A slot is a long, narrow opening, a slit, or any other shape that allows something to be inserted. For example, in a video game, a slot is where you insert coins to play. A slot also refers to a time period at which an airplane may take off or land at a busy airport, a tool used in the United States and worldwide to manage air traffic and prevent repeated delays that result when too many flights attempt to take off or land at the same time.

In casinos, a slot machine is a type of gambling device that accepts cash or paper tickets with barcodes that are validated by a central computer system. The ticket is then inserted into the slot, and the reels are spun. If a winning combination is created, the player receives credits based on the paytable. Symbols on modern slot machines vary, but classic symbols include fruits and stylized lucky sevens.

Psychologists have found that slot machines activate multiple reward mechanisms in the brain, making them more addictive than other forms of gambling. In fact, some studies show that people who play video slots reach a debilitating level of addiction three times faster than those who gamble with paper cards.

A slot is a unique time period within a day when a bot can be active. Administrators and contact center managers can use slots to create reusable flows that are accessible from any intent, rather than having to create a new bot flow every time they need to ask for information like account details or passwords. This feature improves efficiency and reduces the effort required to build bot flows.