Abstract: A game comprising: a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols, at least one of the plurality of symbols positioned in least one of the plurality of symbol positions; at least one processor for executing instructions stored in a memory to play a slot machine game comprising the steps: accepting a wager; receiving an instruction to initiate a spin of the game; generating a plurality of generated random numbers using a pseudo random number generator; determining a spin outcome including a stop positions for the plurality of reels based on the generated random numbers; displaying a portion of the plurality of reels in a play matrix; issuing an award if the play matrix comprises a winning symbol combination; and accumulating a player element total based on gameplay, the player element total transferrable to a second spin.

Abstract: A wagering game of chance comprising: an input establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity; a memory device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon; and a processor, which upon executing the computer-executable instructions, is configured to: accept a wager, the wager amount decreasing the credit balance; use a random number generator to select and display a portion of each of a plurality of reels on a display, the plurality of reels comprising symbols thereon including one or more number symbols; determine if a game termination condition has occurred; in response to the game termination condition, issue the sum of all numbers displayed on the display as a monetary payout without regard to the alignment of the symbols on the reels and without regard to a pay table; and increment the credit balance by the issued sum.

Abstract: A wagering game of change comprising: an input establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based on at least wagering activity; a memory device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon; and a processor, which upon executing the computer-executable instructions, is configured to: accept a wager, the wager amount decreasing the credit balance; use a random number generator to select and display a portion of each of a plurality of reels on a display, the plurality of reels comprising symbols thereon including one or more number symbols and at least one activator symbol; determine if the activator symbol is displayed; in response to the activator symbol being displayed, issue the sum of the number symbols displayed on the display as a monetary payout without regard to the alignment of the symbols on the reels and without regard to a paytable; and increment the credit balance by the issued sum.

Abstract: Payout methods in a mechanical, an electro-mechanical and/or computer-based slot machine-like games-of-chance enable a series of awards based upon: appearance of predetermined symbol combinations in the symbol matrix; issuance of awards for the predetermined combination of symbols; removal of the winning symbol combinations from the symbol matrix; replacement of removed symbols with other symbols; issuance of awards for predetermined combination of symbols in the symbol matrix; and recurring cycles of award, removal and replacement until no winning symbol combinations appear in the symbol matrix.

Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbols including at least one replicator symbol. The replicator symbol includes at least two of the same symbols in a single symbol position on the reels. The replicator symbol may include any suitable number of the same symbols. The replicator symbol thereby increases the likelihood that a player will obtain a winning symbol combination on the reels and also an award in a game. In one embodiment, a winning symbol combination includes at least one replicator symbol and at least one other symbol at a plurality of symbol positions on a payline associated with the reels. In another embodiment, the winning symbol combination at least one replicator symbol and at least one other symbol at a plurality of symbol position in at least one symbol position on a plurality of paylines associated with the reels.

Abstract: A game comprising: a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols, at least one of the plurality of symbols positioned in least one of the plurality of symbol positions; at least one processor for executing instructions stored in a memory to play a slot machine game comprising the steps: accepting a wager; receiving an instruction to initiate a spin of the game; generating a plurality of generated random numbers using a pseudo random number generator; determining a spin outcome including a stop positions for the plurality of reels based on the generated random numbers; displaying a portion of the plurality of reels in a play matrix; issuing an award if the play matrix comprises a winning symbol combination; and accumulating a player element total based on gameplay, the player element total transferrable to a second spin.

Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of symbol generators adapted to generate a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol positions. In one embodiment, a player selects a first symbol position, the selected symbol position is activated and the gaming device reveals whether a terminator is associated with the selected symbol position. In this embodiment, the player continues selecting symbol positions (and the gaming device continues activating the selected symbol positions) until a terminator is revealed to be associated with a selected symbol position. After a terminator is revealed, the gaming device randomly generating a symbol at each of the activated symbol positions. The gaming device determines an outcome based on the symbols or combinations of symbols generated at the activated symbol positions and provides the player the determined outcome.

Abstract: A game is provided that may include a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols, at least one of the plurality of symbols positioned in least one of the plurality of symbol positions; at least one processor for executing instructions stored in a memory to play a slot machine game comprising the steps: accepting a wager; receiving an instruction to initiate play of the game; determining a game outcome including a stopping point of the plurality of reels; displaying a portion of the plurality of reels in a play matrix; issuing a first award if the play matrix comprises a winning symbol combination; and accumulating a player element total based on gameplay, the player element total transferrable to a second game.

Abstract: Payout methods in a mechanical, an electro-mechanical and/or computer-based slot machine-like games-of-chance enable a series of awards based upon: appearance of predetermined symbol combinations in the symbol matrix; issuance of awards for the predetermined combination of symbols; removal of the winning symbol combinations from the symbol matrix; replacement of removed symbols with other symbols; issuance of awards for predetermined combination of symbols in the symbol matrix; and recurring cycles of award, removal and replacement until no winning symbol combinations appear in the symbol matrix.

Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of symbol generators adapted to generate a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol positions. In one embodiment, a player selects a first symbol position, the selected symbol position is activated and the gaming device reveals whether a terminator is associated with the selected symbol position. In this embodiment, the player continues selecting symbol positions (and the gaming device continues activating the selected symbol positions) until a terminator is revealed to be associated with a selected symbol position. After a terminator is revealed, the gaming device randomly generating a symbol at each of the activated symbol positions. The gaming device determines an outcome based on the symbols or combinations of symbols generated at the activated symbol positions and provides the player the determined outcome.

Abstract: A gaming system comprising: credit input mechanism configured for player interaction to receive a credit input in the form of a physical item representing a monetary value for establishing a credit balance; an ante bet selector configured to facilitate selection by a player of an ante bet amount, in accord with said credit balance; a display having a plurality of display position groups, each display position group comprising a plurality of display positions, and the display position groups defining a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, the number of rows defined by the display position groups being dependent on the ante bet amount selected by the player; a symbol selector configured to select a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols for display in the plurality of display position groups; an outcome evaluator configured to determine whether the displayed symbols define a winning outcome; and a prize allocator configured to allocate a prize when a winning outcome is displayed.

Abstract: A game is provided that may include a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols, at least one of the plurality of symbols positioned in least one of the plurality of symbol positions; at least one processor for executing instructions stored in a memory to play a slot machine game comprising the steps: accepting a wager; receiving an instruction to initiate play of the game; determining a game outcome including a stopping point of the plurality of reels; displaying a portion of the plurality of reels in a play matrix; issuing a first award if the play matrix comprises a winning symbol combination; and accumulating a player element total based on gameplay, the player element total transferrable to a second game.

Abstract: A gaming system configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of symbols. For a play of the game, the gaming system displays a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas. For an activation of the reels, the gaming system randomly generates and causes each of the reels to display one of the symbols on that reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with that reel. Upon an occurrence of a triggering event, the gaming system: adds one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels and provides a plurality of additional activations of the reels. If a removal condition is satisfied prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels, the gaming system removes a remaining wild symbol from one of the reels.

Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of symbol generators adapted to generate a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol positions. In one embodiment, a player selects a first symbol position, the selected symbol position is activated and the gaming device reveals whether a terminator is associated with the selected symbol position. In this embodiment, the player continues selecting symbol positions (and the gaming device continues activating the selected symbol positions) until a terminator is revealed to be associated with a selected symbol position. After a terminator is revealed, the gaming device randomly generating a symbol at each of the activated symbol positions. The gaming device determines an outcome based on the symbols or combinations of symbols generated at the activated symbol positions and provides the player the determined outcome.

Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of symbol generators adapted to generate a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol positions. In one embodiment, a player selects a first symbol position, the selected symbol position is activated and the gaming device reveals whether a terminator is associated with the selected symbol position. In this embodiment, the player continues selecting symbol positions (and the gaming device continues activating the selected symbol positions) until a terminator is revealed to be associated with a selected symbol position. After a terminator is revealed, the gaming device randomly generating a symbol at each of the activated symbol positions. The gaming device determines an outcome based on the symbols or combinations of symbols generated at the activated symbol positions and provides the player the determined outcome.

Abstract: Payout methods in a mechanical, an electro-mechanical and/or computer-based slot machine-like games-of-chance enable a series of awards based upon: appearance of predetermined symbol combinations in the symbol matrix; issuance of awards for the predetermined combination of symbols; removal of the winning symbol combinations from the symbol matrix; replacement of removed symbols with other symbols; issuance of awards for predetermined combination of symbols in the symbol matrix; and recurring cycles of award, removal and replacement until no winning symbol combinations appear in the symbol matrix.

Abstract: Payout methods in a mechanical, an electro-mechanical and/or computer-based slot machine-like games-of-chance enable a series of awards based upon: appearance of predetermined symbol combinations in the symbol matrix; issuance of awards for the predetermined combination of symbols; removal of the winning symbol combinations from the symbol matrix; replacement of removed symbols with other symbols; issuance of awards for predetermined combination of symbols in the symbol matrix; and recurring cycles of award, removal and replacement until no winning symbol combinations appear in the symbol matrix.

Abstract: A wagering game of chance comprising: an input establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity; a memory device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon; and a processor, which upon executing the computer-executable instructions, is configured to: accept a wager, the wager amount decreasing the credit balance; use a random number generator to select and display a portion of each of a plurality of reels on a display, the plurality of reels comprising symbols thereon including one or more number symbols; determine if a game termination condition has occurred; in response to the game termination condition, issue the sum of all numbers displayed on the display as a monetary payout without regard to the alignment of the symbols on the reels and without regard to a pay table; and increment the credit balance by the issued sum.

Abstract: A slot machine issues a percentage of one or more progressive awards based upon any wager level (“Percentage Progressive”). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Percentage Progressive concept operates as follows: The game displays the total progressive award amount; The player sets the wager; The game displays a Percentage Progressive value based upon the wager level; The player presses the spin button; The reels to spin and stop; The player collects credits for any winning combinations appearing on the reels, including pay table and progressive awards. In the event of a progressive award, the player receives the Percentage Progressive value*total progressive award amount. The preferred embodiment of the present invention, therefore, allows players to participate in progressive awards at any wager level.

Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of symbol generators adapted to generate a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol positions. In one embodiment, a player selects a first symbol position, the selected symbol position is activated and the gaming device reveals whether a terminator is associated with the selected symbol position. In this embodiment, the player continues selecting symbol positions (and the gaming device continues activating the selected symbol positions) until a terminator is revealed to be associated with a selected symbol position. After a terminator is revealed, the gaming device randomly generating a symbol at each of the activated symbol positions. The gaming device determines an outcome based on the symbols or combinations of symbols generated at the activated symbol positions and provides the player the determined outcome.