Gaming device having oversized symbols in the play matrix

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a gaming device having oversized symbols in the play matrix. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a gaming apparatus having an improved game play comprising oversized symbols in the play matrix, and methods of administering, operating and playing the same in wagering and non-wagering applications. In one embodiment of the present invention, a game comprises a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol positions on the reels, the plurality of symbols including an oversized symbol occupying at least a plurality of symbol positions; and predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations including the oversized symbol, wherein the predetermined winning symbol combination is associated with an award.

1 . A slot machine comprising:
 a display device;   an input device; and   a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to:
 provide a spin of a game comprising:
 a plurality of reels each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions; 
 a plurality of symbols at least one of the plurality of symbols at each of the plurality of symbol positions on the reels the plurality of symbols including at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol whereby the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized occupies at least a plurality of symbol positions over at least a plurality of reels and the oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions throughout the spin of the game wherein at least one reel of the plurality of reels has other sized symbols thereon; and 
 a predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations including the oversized symbol wherein the predetermined winning symbol combination is associated with an award wherein mixed sized reels contain both regular sized symbols each occupying one symbol position and said oversized symbols and oversized symbols rotate on and off the display device at the same rate. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The slot machine of  claim 1  wherein the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions through a second spin of the game. 
     
     
         3 . The slot machine of  claim 2  wherein the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions for every spin of the game. 
     
     
         4 . The slot machine of  claim 1  wherein the processor selects a visual representation of the oversized symbol to display as the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol 
     
     
         5 . The slot machine of  claim 4  wherein the processor selects the same visual representation for a second spin of the game. 
     
     
         6 . The slot machine of  claim 5  wherein the processor selects the same visual representation for every spin of the game. 
     
     
         7 . A gaming device comprising:
 a display device;   an input device;   a memory comprising:
 a plurality of reels each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions; 
 a plurality of symbols the plurality of symbols including at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol; and 
   a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to operate with the display device, the memory, and the input device to provide a game comprising:
 a first spin comprising: 
 a selection of a random number generator using a random number generator; 
 a visual spinning on the display device of the reels stored on the memory device wherein at least one of the plurality of symbols occupies at least one of the plurality of symbol positions on the reels and the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies at least a plurality of symbol positions over at least a plurality of reels and the oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions through the first spin of the reels; 
 a stop position for each of the reels based on the random number; 
 a predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations including the oversized symbol wherein the predetermined winning symbol combination is associated with an award wherein mixed sized reels contain both regular sized symbols each occupying one symbol position and said oversized symbols and when said mixed sized symbol reels spin and said regular sized symbols and oversized symbols rotate on and off the display device at the same rate. 
   
     
     
         8 . The slot machine of  claim 7  wherein the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions through a second spin of the game. 
     
     
         9 . The slot machine of  claim 8  wherein the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions for every spin of the game. 
     
     
         10 . The slot machine of  claim 7  wherein the processor selects a visual representation of the oversized symbol to display as the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol 
     
     
         11 . The slot machine of  claim 10  wherein the processor selects the same visual representation for a second spin of the game. 
     
     
         12 . The slot machine of  claim 11  wherein the processor selects the same visual representation for every spin of the game. 
     
     
         13 . A slot machine comprising:
 a display device including a symbol matrix;   an input device;   a memory comprising:
 a plurality of reels each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions; 
 a plurality of symbols at least one of the plurality of symbols at each of the plurality of symbol positions on the reels, the plurality of symbols including at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol whereby the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies at least a plurality of symbol positions; 
 a processor for accessing the plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to operate with the input device, memory device, and input device to: 
 provide a spin of the game comprising:
 generate a random number for each of the reels using a random number generator; 
 display a visual spinning on the display device wherein the reels appear to spin in the symbol matrix and wherein the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions on the reel through the spin; 
 determine a stop position for each of the reels based on the random number; 
 determine a portion of the reels to display in the symbol matrix based on the stop position; 
 determine whether to issue an award based on whether a predetermined winning symbol combination of plurality of winning symbol combinations including the oversized symbol appears in the symbol matrix. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The slot machine of  claim 13  wherein the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions through a second spin of the game. 
     
     
         15 . The slot machine of  claim 14  wherein the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol occupies the same plurality of symbol positions for every spin of the game. 
     
     
         16 . The slot machine of  claim 13  wherein the processor selects a visual representation of the oversized symbol to display as the at least one statically-positioned non-expanding oversized symbol 
     
     
         17 . The slot machine of  claim 16  wherein the processor selects the same visual representation for a second spin of the game. 
     
     
         18 . The slot machine of  claim 17  wherein the processor selects the same visual representation for every spin of the game.