What Is a Slot?
A slot is a narrow opening, a place where something fits. A slot in a machine is where you put coins to make it work. You can also slot something into something else, such as a CD into a CD player or a car seat belt into its buckle.
In football, the slot is a receiver position that lines up in the backfield, just behind and slightly to the side of the outside wide receivers. Slot receivers often act as blockers on running plays like sweeps and slants, too. They must be quick and agile in order to run precise routes, since they are typically smaller than the outside receivers. Because of their pre-snap alignment and speedy skills, they can be effective at avoiding tacklers, too.
On passing plays, Slot receivers must be able to run almost any route that the team calls. They are most valuable, however, when they are used as blocking receivers to help the outside receivers win one-on-one battles with the defense.
A slot is also a place on a computer where you can add hardware capability, such as video acceleration or extra hard drive space. Most modern desktop computers come with a set of expansion slots that you can use to expand their capabilities. You can also find online slots that offer these features, too.