Gaming System with Splittable Symbol Positions

A method for expanding a path of symbol positions in a game for use in a gaming system including a display device providing a plurality of columns of symbol positions, each of the symbol positions having a first position size, a player interface operable to receive a player-selection and to transmit data indicative of the player-selection, and a game controller comprising a processor and a memory storing (a) a set of symbol data, (b) a table, and (c) instructions, which, when executed, cause the processor to initiate the game, the method comprising:

• transmitting data to the game controller indicative of a first selection from a player interface specifying the first path of symbol positions for evaluation, the first path of symbol positions specifying a plurality of symbol positions on the plurality of columns of symbol positions;
• sending data to the display device for display on the first path of symbol positions indicative of a plurality of symbols randomly selected from the set of symbol data at the plurality of columns of symbol positions, based on one or more random numbers generated in response to the processor processing random data, a first symbol of the plurality of symbols having a first symbol size, and to override displaying of all symbols selected for the first path of symbol positions responsive to the first path of symbol positions including a first winning combination based on the plurality of columns of symbol positions in the table;
• receiving a second selection from the player interface indicative of a bet amount, the bet amount being associated with which sub-positions in a respective symbol position are evaluated as a part of the first path of symbol positions, wherein a first bet results in a first quantity of sub-positions used in the first path of symbol positions, each of the first quantity of sub-positions having a second position size, and a second bet results in a second quantity of sub-positions used in the first path of symbol positions, each of the second quantity of sub-positions having a third position size, wherein the first bet is larger than the second bet, and wherein the first quantity of sub-positions is greater than the second quantity of sub-positions, wherein the second position size is greater than the third position size, and the first position size is greater than the second position size and the third position size;
• splitting each of the plurality of symbol positions into a plurality of initially non-displayed sub-positions associated with the first path of symbol positions, wherein symbols are selected for each sub-position using different reel strip data for each column of sub-positions;
• generating, on the display device, a second greater quantity of initially non-displayed sub-positions by generating, on the display device, for each of the plurality of symbol positions, the second greater quantity of initially non-displayed sub-positions associated with the first path of symbol positions, and by generating, for the second greater quantity of initially non-displayed sub-positions, a second greater quantity of symbols selected randomly from the set of symbol data in response to the processor processing the random data, wherein each of the second greater quantity of symbols selected has a second size that is smaller than the first symbol size;
• evaluating the symbol positions and the sub-positions based on the selection of the second greater quantity of symbols and the splitting;
• controlling the display device, to display the second greater quantity of initially non-displayed sub-positions to enable a second winning combination that i) is larger than the first winning combination in the table and ii) comprises respective sub-positions selected for the first path of symbol positions based on the second selection;
• and
• causing the display device to display an award evaluated based on the second winning combination.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising (a) a set of symbol data, (b) a table, and (c) instructions, for conducting a game on a gaming system including a display device providing a plurality of columns of symbol positions, each of the symbol positions having a first position size, a player interface operable to receive a player-selection and to transmit data indicative of the player-selection, and a game controller, the instructions, which, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving data indicative of a first selection transmitted from the player interface specifying a first path of symbol positions for evaluation, the first path of symbol positions specifying a plurality of symbol positions on the plurality of columns of symbol positions;
• transmitting to the display device for display on the first path of symbol positions a plurality of symbols randomly selected from the set of symbol data at the plurality of columns of symbol positions, based on one or more random numbers generated in response to the one or more processors processing random data, a first symbol of the plurality of symbols having a first symbol size, and to override displaying of all symbols selected for the first path of symbol positions responsive to the first path of symbol positions including a first winning combination based on the plurality of columns of symbol positions in the table;
• receiving a second selection from the player interface indicative of a bet amount, the bet amount being associated with which sub-positions in a respective symbol position are evaluated as a part of the first path of symbol positions, wherein a first bet results in a first quantity of sub-positions used in the first path of symbol positions, each of the first quantity of sub-positions having a second position size, and a second bet results in a second quantity of sub-positions used in the first path of symbol positions, each of the second quantity of sub-positions having a third position size, wherein the first bet is larger than the second bet, and wherein the first quantity of sub-positions is greater than the second quantity of sub-positions, wherein the second position size is greater than the third position size, and the first position size is greater than the second position size and the third position size;
• splitting each of the plurality of symbol positions into a plurality of initially non-displayed sub-positions associated with the first path of symbol positions, wherein the one or more processors select symbols for each sub-position using different reel strip data for each column of sub-positions;
• generating, on the display device, a second greater quantity of initially non-displayed sub-positions by generating, on the display device, for each of the plurality of symbol positions, the second greater quantity of initially non-displayed sub-positions associated with the first path of symbol positions on the display device, and by generating, for the second greater quantity of initially non-displayed sub-positions, a second greater quantity of symbols selected randomly from the set of symbol data in response to the one or more processors processing the random data, wherein each of the second greater quantity of symbols selected has a second size that is smaller than the first symbol size;
• evaluating the symbol positions and the sub-positions based on the selection of the second greater quantity of symbols and the splitting;
• controlling the display device, to display the second greater quantity of initially non-displayed sub-positions to enable a second winning combination that i) is larger than the first winning combination in the table and ii) comprises respective sub-positions selected for the first path of symbol positions based on the second selection;
• and
• controlling the display device to display an award evaluated based on the second winning combination.