A slot is an authorization to take-off or land at a particular airport on a specific day and time. It is issued by EUROCONTROL as part of its role in air traffic management. They can be traded and can be very valuable, especially in Europe where a single slot can be worth up to $75 million.
Flow and capacity management
A slot allows an airline to operate at a constrained airport. The limiting factor is either the availability of runways or parking space, or both. Using slot authorizations, the airline can avoid running into congestion and reduce fuel burn by minimizing delays on the ground.
In addition to the airport example, slots are also used in other industries where delays are a problem. For example, slot authorizations are used to control air traffic at busy airports, reducing fuel burn and delay time by restricting air travel at certain times of the day or week.
The payback of a slot is the average net win divided by the average amount of money bet per spin, or return to player (RTP). High slot paybacks are 90% or higher, while low slot paybacks are typically 70% or lower. This is an important statistic to consider because it will help you select the slot that best suits your gaming goals.
High-payback slots are more likely to produce regular wins, while low-payback slots tend to have more longshots, or large one-time winners. Choosing the right slot for your bankroll, strategy, and luck will ensure that you can maximize your chances of winning.
In hockey, the slot is a place where players have an advantage over the defense and a clear view of the goal. The low slot is right in front of the goaltender and between the face-off circles, while the high slot is in the middle of the ice above the face-off circles. This is where the best shots occur, especially slap shots taken by wingers or centers.
Taking slap shots is an important skill in hockey because they are very fast, allowing players to get to the puck before defenders can react. If the defender isn’t quick enough to react, a slap shot can hit them and cause injury. This is why a well-placed slap shot from the high slot is a game-changing play.
Another benefit of the high slot is that it is located in an area where the defending team has a greater ability to protect the net, which increases the likelihood of a shot from there going in. Defending teams will often make a point to lay out big hits to wingers and centers who cross the slot with the puck, giving them a better chance to score.
The low slot is also where the winger and center can get a wrist shot, if they are quick enough to cross the slot before the defender gets there. This gives them a clear view of the goal and allows for more accuracy in their placement and shot.