Electronic gaming device with bonus game extended reel functionality

A method of presenting a base game having a bonus event opportunity to a player via an electronic gaming device comprising:

• accepting, via at least one wager accepting device configured to accept a physical item associated with a monetary value and increasing a credit balance associated with said electronic gaming device;
• determining, via a processor of said electronic gaming device, one or more wagers placed from said credit balance;
• initiating, via said processor, a base game comprising at least one base game spin where the base game spin moves the plurality of reels to display, via at least one display device of said electronic gaming device, symbols in one or more locations of a first set of symbol locations;
• determining, via said processor, if said base game spin resulted in the displayed symbols displaying symbols comprising a near bonus event initiating condition;
• when a near bonus event initiating condition is received, displaying via said at least one display device, symbols in a second set of symbol locations comprising said first set of symbol locations and one or more additional expanded symbol locations;
• determining, via said processor, if said symbols displayed in said second set of symbol locations comprises a bonus event triggering outcome;
• when a bonus event triggering outcome is received, triggering via said processor a bonus event comprising at least one bonus spin where the bonus spin moves the plurality of reels and stops a movement of the plurality of reels to display symbols in said second set of symbol locations;
• determining, via said processor, if at least one winning combination of symbols is displayed in said second set of symbol locations;
• and
• increasing said credit balance by an award for said at least one winning combination.

An electronic gaming device comprising:

• a cabinet;
• a memory located in said cabinet;
• at least one wager accepting device configured to accept a physical item associated with a monetary value to increase a credit balance at the electronic gaming device;
• at least one player input device;
• a display supported by said cabinet;
• and
• a processor located in said cabinet, said processor configured to execute machine readable instruction stored on the memory to implement a random number generator and to cause the electronic gaming device to present a game having a base game and a bonus event which is initiated in response to receipt of a bonus event triggering outcome in the base game, comprising:
• initiating a base game comprising at least one base game spin relative to a plurality of reels having a first set of symbol locations and one or more inactive symbol locations, where the base game spin moves said plurality of graphically displayed reels to display, via said display, symbols in one or more locations of said first set of symbol locations based upon one or more first numbers generated by said random number generator, and wherein said inactive symbol locations are not displayed to said player;
• determining if said base game spin resulted in the displayed symbols displaying symbols comprising a near bonus event initiating condition;
• when a near bonus event initiating condition is received, displaying symbols in a second set of symbol locations comprising said first set of symbol locations and one or more of the previously inactive symbol locations which are displayed as an expansion of said first set of symbol locations;
• determining if said symbols displayed in said second set of symbol locations comprises a bonus event triggering outcome;
• when a bonus event triggering outcome is received, triggering a bonus event comprising at least one bonus spin where the bonus spin moves the plurality of reels and stops a movement of the plurality of reels to display, via said display, symbols in said second set of symbol locations based upon one or more second numbers generated by said random number generator;
• determining if at least one winning combination of symbols is displayed in said second set of symbol locations;
• increasing said credit balance by an award for said at least one winning combination;
• and
• storing history information regarding said game in said memory.