Systems, methods, and devices for playing wagering games with symbol clumps and non-uniform weighting of reel positions

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receive an indication of a wager to play a wagering game, the wagering game including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, each of the reels having a plurality of distinct reel positions populated by a plurality of symbols, at least one of the reels having a symbol clump occupying two or more immediately adjacent ones of the reel positions on the at least one reel;
• randomly determine an outcome of the wagering game from a plurality of wagering-game outcomes, each of the wagering-game outcomes including predetermined ones of the symbols occupying a plurality of distinct array positions arranged in an array displayed on at least one display device;
• and
• direct the at least one display device to display the outcome of the wagering game,
• wherein one or more of the reel positions on the at least one reel has a corresponding weighted probability of occupying corresponding ones of the array positions in the displayed array, the weighted probabilities being configured such that the symbol clump, when part of one of the wagering-game outcomes, can only land in its entirety in the array.

A method of conducting a wagering game with a gaming system having one or more input devices, one or more display devices, and one or more processors, the method comprising:

• receiving, via at least one of the one or more input devices, an indication of a wager to play the wagering game, the wagering game including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, each of the reels having a plurality of distinct reel positions populated by a plurality of symbols, at least one of the reels having a symbol clump occupying two or more immediately adjacent ones of the reel positions on the at least one reel;
• randomly determining, via at least one of the one or more processors, an outcome of the wagering game from a plurality of wagering-game outcomes, each of the wagering-game outcomes including predetermined ones of the symbols occupying a plurality of distinct array positions arranged in an array displayed via at least one of the one or more display devices;
• and
• displaying, via at least one of the one or more display devices, the outcome of the wagering game,
• wherein one or more of the reel positions on the at least one reel has a corresponding weighted probability of occupying corresponding ones of the array positions in the displayed array, the weighted probabilities being configured such that the symbol clump, when part of one of the wagering-game outcomes, can only land in its entirety in the array.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receive an indication of a wager to play a wagering game, the wagering game including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, each of the reels having a plurality of distinct reel positions populated by a variety of different symbols, at least one of the reels having at least one symbol clump, the at least one symbol clump consisting of a single enlarged symbol occupying two or more immediately adjacent ones of the reel positions on the corresponding reel;
• randomly determine an outcome of the wagering game from a plurality of wagering-game outcomes, each of the wagering-game outcomes including predetermined ones of the symbols occupying a plurality of distinct array positions arranged in an array displayed on at least one display device;
• and
• direct at least one display device to display the outcome of the wagering game,
• wherein the adjacent reel positions occupied by the symbol clump and neighboring reel positions immediately above and immediately below the symbol clump each has a corresponding weighted probability of occupying corresponding ones of the array positions in the displayed array, the weighted probabilities being configured such that the symbol clump, when part of one of the wagering-game outcomes, can only land in its entirety in the array.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receive an indication of a wager to play a wagering game, the wagering game including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, each of the reels having a plurality of distinct reel positions populated by a variety of different symbols, at least one of the reels having at least one symbol clump, each of the symbol clumps consisting of a single enlarged symbol occupying two or more immediately adjacent ones of the reel positions on the corresponding reel;
• randomly determine an outcome of the wagering game from a plurality of wagering-game outcomes, each of the wagering-game outcomes including predetermined ones of the symbols occupying a plurality of distinct array positions arranged in an array displayed on at least one display device;
• and
• direct at least one display device to display the outcome of the wagering game,
• wherein the array positions are arranged in rows and columns, the at least one reel being aligned with a respective one of the columns,
• wherein the symbol clump occupies X-total-number of the adjacent reel positions, and a length of the respective column is Y-total-number of the array positions, and
• wherein an upper-most one of the adjacent reel positions of the symbol clump, when part of one of the wagering-game outcomes, is restricted to occupying an upper-most one of the array positions in the respective column and the N array position or positions immediately below the upper-most array position, X being less than or equal to Y, and N=Y−X.