WAGERING GAME WITH POSITIONAL FEEDBACK FOR MECHANICAL REELS

1 . A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming terminal, comprising:

receiving, via an input device, a wager to play the wagering game;

spinning a plurality of symbol bearing reels using one or more motors of the gaming terminal;

during the spinning, monitoring the symbols on a first one of the reels using one or more video cameras to generate image data associated with the symbols on the first reel;

comparing the generated image data associated with the symbols on the first reel with master image data associated with the wagering game; and

based on the comparing, determining if the symbols on the first reel are associated with the wagering game being conducted on the gaming terminal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the symbols on the first reel are associated with the wagering game being conducted on the gaming terminal and in response to the determining that the symbols on the first reel are associated with the wagering game, permitting further conducting of the wagering game on the gaming terminal.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the symbols on the first reel are not associated with the wagering game being conducted on the gaming terminal and in response to the determining that the symbols on the first reel are not associated with the wagering game: (i) preventing further conducting of the wagering game on the gaming terminal and (ii) transmitting an electronic notice from the gaming terminal, the electronic notice being indicative of the incorrect symbol usage on the gaming terminal.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of symbol bearing reels is a mechanical reel that physically spins within the gaming terminal, and wherein each of the plurality of symbol bearing reels includes a reel cage and a strip of symbols attached thereto.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising based on the comparing, determining a rotational position of the first reel and the symbols thereon without using an encoder strip coupled to the first reel.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring includes imaging, via the one or more video cameras, the first reel at a rate of at least two hertz.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating the image data associated with the symbols on the first reel to a motor controller electrically coupled to at least one of the one or more motors spinning the first reel, wherein the monitoring includes imaging, via the one or more video cameras, the first reel at least three times per rotation of the first reel, and wherein the comparing includes comparing, using the motor controller, the communicated image data with the master image data to ensure the symbols on the first reel are in the proper position.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the symbols on the first reel have not been tampered with or altered.

10 . A method of verifying proper reel strip usage in an electronic gaming machine (“EGM”), the method comprising:

storing game software on a memory of the EGM that is executable by one or more processors of the EGM to play a wagering game on the EGM, the game software being associated with a first plurality of symbols;

providing a strip of symbols on each one of a plurality of reel cages in the EGM for use in playing the wagering game, thereby forming a plurality of symbol bearing reels;

spinning, using one or more motors of the EGM, the plurality of symbol bearing reels under the control of at least one of the one or more processors of the EGM;

monitoring, during the spinning, using one or more video cameras of the EGM, the plurality of symbol bearing reels;

in response to the monitoring, generating image data associated with each of the symbol bearing reels;

comparing, using at least one of the one or more processors of the EGM, the generated image data associated with each of the symbol bearing reels with the first plurality of symbols associated with the game software stored on the memory of the EGM; and

based on the comparing, verifying if the provided strip of symbols on each one of the reel cages corresponds with the first plurality of symbols associated with the game software.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising based on the comparing, for each of the symbol bearing reels, verifying that the provided strip of symbols is attached to the reel cage in a predefined manner.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining that the provided strip of symbols on each one of the reel cages does correspond with the first plurality of symbols associated with the game software, and in response to the determining that the provided strip of symbols on each one of the reel cages does correspond with the first plurality of symbols associated with the game software, permitting a player to play the wagering game on the EGM.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining that the provided strip of symbols on at least one of the reel cages does not correspond with the first plurality of symbols associated with the game software.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising in response to the determining that the provided strip of symbols on the at least one of the reel cages does not correspond with the first plurality of symbols associated with the game software, preventing a player from playing the wagering game on the EGM.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising in response to the determining that the provided strip of symbols on the at least one of the reel cages does not correspond with the first plurality of symbols associated with the game software, displaying, on a display device of the EGM, a “Wrong Reel Strip Installed” notice.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising based on the comparing, determining if the strip of symbols on each one of the reel cages is properly oriented within the EGM.

18 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining that the symbols on one or more of the plurality of symbol bearing reels have not been tampered with or altered.

19 . A gaming system for conducting a wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

one or more symbol bearing reels;

one or more motors;

one or more video cameras;

one or more processors; and

one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the gaming system to:

receive, via an input device of the gaming system, a wager to conduct the wagering game;

spin the one or more symbol bearing reels using the one or more motors;

during the spinning, monitor the symbols on a first one of the symbol bearing reels using the one or more video cameras to generate image data associated with the symbols on the first symbol bearing reel;

compare the generated image data associated with the symbols on the first symbol bearing reel with master image data associated with the wagering game; and

based on the comparing, determine if the symbols on the first symbol bearing reel are associated with the wagering game being conducted on the gaming system.

20 . The gaming system of claim 19 , wherein the gaming system is further caused to determine that the symbols on the first symbol bearing reel are associated with the wagering game being conducted on the gaming terminal, and wherein in response to the determining that the symbols on the first symbol bearing reel are associated with the wagering game, the gaming system is further caused to permit further conducting of the wagering game on the gaming terminal.

21 . The gaming system of claim 19 , wherein the gaming system is further caused to determine that the symbols on the first symbol bearing reel are not associated with the wagering game being conducted on the gaming terminal, and wherein in response to the determining that the symbols on the first reel are not associated with the wagering game, the gaming system is further caused to prevent further conducting of the wagering game on the gaming terminal.

22 . (canceled)

23 . The gaming system of claim 19 , wherein each of the symbol bearing reels includes a reel cage and a strip of symbols attached thereto for use in playing the wagering game, and wherein the gaming system is further caused to, based on the comparing, for each of the symbol bearing reels, verify that the strip of symbols is attached to the reel cage in a predefined manner.

24 - 25 . (canceled)