Abstract: A gaming device and method for playing a gaming device which provide awards for any and all symbols appearing within selected portions of a symbol matrix (“What You See Is What You Get” or “WYSIWYG”).

Abstract: A method of operating a slot machine, and a slot machine in which the method may be used. One or more symbols on a reel are replaced with symbols prescribed by a selected schema. The schema may be selected randomly, or according to a weighted probability, or according to a count of recent plays. All symbols of one type may be replaced with one other type of symbol, or with a variety of different symbols as prescribed by the schema. A symbol stack may be replaced with another symbol stack. Symbols may be replaced on one, several, or all of the reels that make up the display.

Abstract: The present invention provides a variety of systems and methods of playing a slot machine game in which players accumulate elements during one or more spins and at the conclusion of any spin may record the accumulation of said elements for future use at the same or different slot machine game. In three preferred embodiments, a player accumulates: the cumulative number of times one or more predetermined symbols appear in the symbol matrix; the cumulative number of points awarded by the game for winning symbol combinations appearing in the symbol matrix; or a set of predetermined winning symbol combinations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a slot machine having multipliers that randomly appear on selected symbols during play. In one embodiment, a game device comprises: a display device; an input device; and a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which cause the processor to provide a game comprising: 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; a predetermined multiplier symbol, the multiplier symbol being randomly generated before every spin of the game; at least one predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations including the predetermined multiplier symbol; and an award associated with the predetermined winning symbol combination, the award being multiplied by the predetermined multiplier symbol.

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.

Abstract: The present invention replicates a symbol into one or more other symbol positions of the symbol matrix in accordance with the replication properties of the location in which said symbol appears in the symbol matrix. A preferred embodiment of the present invention (“Replicating Wilds”) uses a symbol matrix formed by three rows and five columns in which the middle position of the third column possesses replication properties for the wildcard symbol such that a wildcard symbol replicates itself into all adjacent symbol positions.

Abstract: The present invention displays increasing values of two or more wildcard symbols in the symbol matrix. A preferred embodiment called “Up, Up & Way Wilds” displays increasing multiplier values for two or more wildcard symbols used in winning symbol combinations.

Abstract: The present invention includes a variety of methods for wagering upon one or more positions of a symbol matrix and issuing awards based upon the number of symbols in the symbol matrix matching each of the symbols displayed in the wagered upon symbol positions. In a preferred embodiment, players may wager upon any number of the available symbol positions and collect awards for matching each symbol appearing in a wagered upon symbol position with 2 or more other symbols in the symbol matrix.

Abstract: An electronic video slot machine enables wild symbols to expand into adjacent symbols positions—vertically, horizontally, and/or diagonally—in the symbol matrix (“Directional Wilds”). In one embodiment, the Directional Wild concept uses wild symbols that expand in a pre-determined vertical direction—upwards or downwards. The upwards wild symbol (“Up Wild”) converts all of the symbol positions above the Up Wild into wild symbols. The downwards wild symbol (“Down Wild”) converts all of the symbol positions below the Down Wild into wild symbols. The original position of the Up or Down Wild symbol is also optionally wild. Various alternative embodiments may optionally be used.

Abstract: The present invention includes a variety of methods to calculate awards for a winning symbol combinations based upon the values assigned to some or all of the symbols or symbol positions not included in the winning symbol combinations.

Abstract: A slot machine provides awards based upon matching two or more symbols drawn from the symbol matrix during one or more spins (“Pair'em Up”). In one embodiment: The game starts with an empty Pair'em Up window. At the end of every spin, the symbol appearing in symbol position 3/2 is duplicated into an empty section of the Pair'em Up window. If the newest symbol in the Pair'em Up window matches any of the other symbols in the Pair'em Up window, the two matching symbol are cleared from the Pair'em Up window. For each pair of matching symbols made during a Pair'em Up game, the player receives an escalating award based upon the Pair'em Up pay table. If the Pair'em Up window fills with 5 unmatched symbols, the game ends.

Abstract: A slot machine-like game-of-chance system and method that rewards players for winning combinations of symbols when at least one symbol appears within an area of the display selected by the player. A player may select a display domain such as one or more of the columns, and receive a reward if a first predetermined symbol appears within the display domain. The player can also be awarded if a second predetermined symbol also appears in the display. The player may also receive a first random bonus payout independent of the display domain selected by the player, and the opportunity to win a second bonus payout dependent upon a player choice made prior to receiving the first random bonus payout.

Abstract: The present invention is a variant of traditional Twenty-One in which the dealer and players attempt to build a hand with a value of twenty-one, or as close to twenty-one as possible without exceeding twenty-one, using cards that are known to players and the dealer as they are dealt and common cards that remain unknown until all player and/or dealer decisions are completed.

Abstract: A slot machine issues a percentage of one or more progressive awards based upon any wager level (“Percentage Progressive”).

Abstract: A slot machine enables a player to select one or more symbols as wild symbols (“Select-A-Wild”). In one embodiment, the game displays three spin buttons. Each spin button is permanently associated with a symbol. All of the associated symbols have matching symbols on the reel strips. Each of the associated symbols have the same probability of appearing on the reel strips. The player selects a wild symbol by pressing a spin button. The symbol associated with the pressed spin button acts as a wild symbol for that spin. After each spin, the player receives awards for all winning combinations.

Abstract: A video poker game system and method includes dealing a card to a player for placement into one position of a hand having a predetermined number of positions. The player then arranges the dealt card in one position of the hand with an object of obtaining a hand having cards placed in a predetermined order. These steps are repeated until all of the predetermined number of positions in the player's hand are filled with dealt cards. A first payout is awarded to the player if the dealt cards of the hand are arranged in the predetermined order. In addition, a second payout is awarded to the player if the dealt cards of the hand constitute a payable hand as determined according to a winning hand payout schedule. The system and method also allow the player to optionally play a number of other games of the game which may result in additional payouts.

Abstract: A video poker game method and apparatus for extending the play of a hand of poker includes optionally initializing a credit tally, and optionally determining whether a sufficient wager has been deposited before starting a round of video poker. The game includes associating the deposited wager with a respective payoff table from which the payoff for the chosen payable subset is obtained. At the beginning of a round of the modified poker game, the game includes dealing, for example, five playing cards from at least one deck of cards. The game includes determining payable subsets of the playing cards. The game includes ending the round of modified poker, if payable subsets do not exist. The game includes displaying, some or all, of the payable subsets, if payable subsets exist. The game includes determining which of the displayed payable subsets is chosen by a user, and adding a payoff associated with the chosen payable subset to the credit tally.

Abstract: A method of playing a modified twenty-one card game by at least a dealer includes the steps of placing a wager awarded when the player bets that the dealer will score at least one of a predetermined number of dealer outcomes, and playing the twenty-one game. The method also includes the steps of determining the score of the dealer, and comparing the score of the dealer to the predetermined number of dealer outcomes bet by the player. The player is awarded responsive to the wager and a coincidence between the dealer score and one of the predetermined number of dealer outcomes.

Abstract: A modified poker card game allows a player to sequentially build a card hand after each round of play. The rules of play for the card game including dealing a first pair of cards to the player. The player then selects one of the pair of cards for the card hand, and discards the other card. The player repeats this process until the player has selected a predetermined number of cards that form the card hand. The resulting card hand is then compared to a predetermined winning schedule and/or to other players playing the modified poker game.

Abstract: A modified poker card game allows a player to sequentially build a card hand after each round of play. The rules of play for the card game including dealing a first pair of cards to the player. The player then selects one of the pair of cards for the card hand, and discards the other card. The player repeats this process until the player has selected a predetermined number of cards that form the card hand. The resulting card hand is then compared to a predetermined winning schedule and/or to other players playing the modified poker game.