Patent ID: 6935947

Claim:
A method of playing a game having a display area including a symbol matrix optionally formed by a plurality of rows intersecting with a plurality of columns, with the plurality of rows and columns optionally defining a plurality of pay lines; the symbol matrix including a plurality of symbols, and the display area including a bonus area with a plurality of positions, comprising: a) a player making a wager to participate in the game; b) rearranging the plurality of symbols; c) displaying the rearranged symbols; d) selecting one or more symbols from the symbol matrix, wherein said selecting step (d) further includes at least one of the steps of: selecting one or more symbols from the symbol matrix every N spins, wherein N is a fixed, positive integer; selecting one or more symbols from the symbol matrix every N spins, wherein N is a variable, positive integer; and selecting one symbol from the symbol matrix every single spin; e) displaying the selected symbol in the bonus area; f) awarding the player based on at least one of the following winning combinations of symbols: 1) when two or more predetermined symbols appear contiguously or partially contiguously on at least one of the plurality of pay lines; 2) when two or more predetermined symbols appear anywhere in the symbol matrix; and 3) when one or more pre-determined symbols appear in the bonus area.