Wagering game with symbol strings dictating winning outcomes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gaming system comprising:
- at least one display that displays a wagering game having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player, said plurality of symbols comprising a sequentially-connected first string of symbols having a payline extending along said first string;
at least one processor configured tointroduce, via said at least one display, at least one additional symbol into said first string of symbols;
evaluate said first string for a winning symbol combination including said at least one additional symbol;
in response to said winning symbol combination occurring in said first string, remove said winning symbol combination from said first string and reconnect any symbols that were previously connected to said removed combination to form a sequentially-connected second string of symbols; and
award said player an award based on said winning symbol combination.
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Abstract
A gaming machine and method for conducting a wagering game includes at least one string of symbols for indicating an outcome of the wagering game wherein additional symbols are introduced into the string of symbols to produce winning combinations of symbols. Upon achieving a winning combination, the winning combination is removed from the string of symbols and the remaining symbols move together to form another string of symbols. The process is repeated and subsequent strings of symbols are evaluated for additional winning combinations.
52 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one display that displays a wagering game having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player, said plurality of symbols comprising a sequentially-connected first string of symbols having a payline extending along said first string; at least one processor configured to introduce, via said at least one display, at least one additional symbol into said first string of symbols; evaluate said first string for a winning symbol combination including said at least one additional symbol; in response to said winning symbol combination occurring in said first string, remove said winning symbol combination from said first string and reconnect any symbols that were previously connected to said removed combination to form a sequentially-connected second string of symbols; and award said player an award based on said winning symbol combination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of conducting a wagering game via a gaming system, the method comprising:
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accepting a wager from a player via an input device; initiating said wagering game via one or more processors; displaying, via at least one display device, a plurality of symbols sequentially connected to form a sequentially-connected first string of symbols having a payline extending along said first string; introducing at least one additional symbol into said displayed first string; evaluating said first string, via said one or more processors, along said payline for a first winning combination that includes said at least one additional symbol; in response to said first winning combination occurring in said first string, removing said first winning combination from said first string and reconnecting any symbols that were previously connected to said removed combination to form a sequentially-connected second string of symbols; evaluating said second string of symbols for a second winning combination that includes at least one of said reconnected symbols; and awarding said player an award based on at least said first winning combination. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, said system comprising:
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at least one display that displays a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of said wagering game, said plurality of symbols comprising a sequentially-connected first string of symbols having a payline extending along said first string; and a controller coupled to said at least one display and operative to control said at least one display to introduce at least one additional symbol into said first string, evaluate said first string of symbols for a winning combination that includes said at least one additional symbol, provide an award for said winning combination, eliminate said winning combination of symbols to expose underlying symbols in said first string, introduce a further additional symbol into said underlying symbols; and evaluate said underlying symbols for a winning combination that includes said further additional symbol. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification