The term “slot” is used to describe the area between the faceoff circles in the offensive zone. The term can refer to two different locations within the rink, the low slot being directly in front of the goaltender and the high slot being the center of the ice above the faceoff circles. A well-placed one-timer from the slot is one of the most coveted shots in hockey. In addition to scoring goals, a slot can be a dangerous place to take a shot.

The term “slot” is a noun and is a late 14c. word meaning a hollow space on the throat above the breastbone. It is derived from the Old French esclot, which is of uncertain origin. The word “slot” may also come from Old Norse slod, meaning a hole. The word “slot” was first recorded in the 1520s, although the term “slot machine” is not until 1888 that it acquired its current meaning.

Earlier slot machines were manually operated, while later versions of slot machines used microprocessors to assign different probabilities to symbols. As a result, they were much less predictable than modern-day machines. In fact, some machines had such low-paying slots that players never won any money. In the 21st century, microprocessors are used to program these machines to give different symbols a different probability of winning. However, the pay table is still available on the machine’s face.