You’ve checked in for your flight, got to the airport on time, gotten through security, made it to your gate and settled into your seat. Then, all of a sudden, you hear the captain say: “We’re waiting for a slot.”

The word “slot” refers to an airline’s allocation of space on an airport runway or a specific slot in air traffic management (ATM). The term is also used to describe the amount of time a player can expect to spend on a particular machine at a casino.

A slot is a position in the paytable that shows how many credits will be won by matching symbols in a winning combination. Some slots have multiple paylines, while others feature bonus features. These are also listed in the paytable, along with any other information about the game.

Slots can be played with real money or casino bonuses, but players must first meet the bonus’s eligible games and playthrough requirements. Generally, these requirements are in place to prevent players from using bonus funds on progressive jackpot slots.

Despite their popularity, the chances of winning a slot machine jackpot are far lower than those of a lottery or a Powerball ticket. In fact, the odds of hitting a slot jackpot are about one in 6.43 million, according to the National Lottery website. That doesn’t mean you can’t win a progressive jackpot, but it’s important to understand how these jackpots work before you start playing.