A slot is a narrow opening into which something can be fitted. It can also be a position in a schedule or program, or an area in a car where you can fit a seat belt. The meaning of slot as a machine part is first recorded from 1888 (slot machine, one operated by dropping coins in a slot). The sense of a time slot is from 1942; that of a spot on a copy desk at a newspaper is from 1917.
If you want to win at slots, the most important thing is choosing the right games. The best way to do this is to check dedicated slot reviews like those on kiwigambler. These will give you information on the rules of each slot, including how much money they are likely to pay out over a long period of time. This will help you decide which game to play and how much to bet.
Another important factor is to play only those machines that you enjoy playing. While luck plays a large role in winning at slots, enjoying the game itself can make your experience much more enjoyable.
Lastly, pick machines that have good jackpots and high payout percentages. This will increase your chances of breaking even and gaining the jackpot. The random number generator inside each slot game chooses when to award the jackpot, so this will vary from machine to machine. Depending on the maths design of the jackpot, it may be decided by a fixed probability event or randomly chosen based on total staked, amount of spins, or the number of active slots in a given session.