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A spinning reel slot machine has increased versatility, while having reels that are aesthetically similar to traditional mechanical reels. In one embodiment, the slot machine includes a plurality of optical fibers having first ends optically coupled to a surface of an image display device and second

A spinning reel slot machine has increased versatility, while having reels that are aesthetically similar to traditional mechanical reels. In one embodiment, the slot machine includes a plurality of optical fibers having first ends optically coupled to a surface of an image display device and seconds ends defining a curved display surface for displaying simulated mechanical reels to a player. In another embodiment, one or more of the mechanical reels has a transparent window at a location where a symbol would normally be present. A video display displays a video symbol in the transparent window. In yet a further embodiment, one of the plurality of mechanical reels has a miniature image display located at selected ones of the symbol regions for providing video symbols for the game. In yet further embodiments, a symbol region can produce more than one symbol in response to exposure at certain wavelengths or polarizations of light.

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1. A slot machine, comprising: a wager input device;a rotatable mechanical reel, the mechanical reel including a reel strip having a radius of curvature and defining an opening;a stationary image display device having a front surface for displaying a randomly selected reel symbol; anda stationary le

1. A slot machine, comprising: a wager input device;a rotatable mechanical reel, the mechanical reel including a reel strip having a radius of curvature and defining an opening;a stationary image display device having a front surface for displaying a randomly selected reel symbol; anda stationary lens including a rear face and a curved front face, the rear face being adjacent to and optically coupled with the front surface of the image display device, the curved front face of the stationary lens causing a reel symbol displayed by the stationary image display device to be curved, the curved front face of the stationary lens having a radius of curvature approximating the radius of curvature of the mechanical reel strip, the stationary lens being positioned in the mechanical reel behind the reel strip and at a position corresponding to a display region of the slot machine;wherein the mechanical reel defines an opening exposing the stationary lens in the mechanical reel, andwherein as the mechanical reel is rotated, the stationary image display device and stationary lens remain stationary. 2. The slot machine of claim 1, further including a transmissive window disposed in front of the curved front face of the stationary lens and exposing the reel symbol visible through the stationary lens. 3. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein the rear face of the stationary lens is spaced from the front surface of the stationary image display device by a gap. 4. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein the rear face of the stationary lens is in contact with the front surface of the stationary image display device. 5. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein the rear face of the stationary lens is at least substantially flat. 6. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature is in a range of from about 4 to about 7 inches. 7. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein the stationary image display device is selected from a group consisting of a bundle of optical fibers, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, a dot matrix display, a vacuum fluorescent display, an organic liquid crystal display, an LED array, and electronic paper. 8. A slot machine, comprising: a rotatable mechanical reel, the mechanical reel including a reel strip having a radius of curvature and defining an opening;a stationary image display device having a front surface configured to display a randomly selected reel symbol;a stationary lens disposed in front of the stationary image display device and through which the reel symbol displayed by the stationary image display device is visible, the lens having a curved front surface, approximating a curvature of the mechanical reel strip, to provide curvature to the reel symbol displayed by the stationary image display device, the stationary lens being positioned in the mechanical reel behind the reel strip and at a position corresponding to a display region of the slot machine; anda substantially transparent window disposed in front of the lens, andwherein as the mechanical reel is rotated, the stationary image display device and stationary lens remain stationary. 9. The slot machine of claim 8, wherein the curved front surface of the stationary lens has a radius of curvature that approximates the radius of curvature of a slot machine mechanical reel. 10. The slot machine of claim 8, wherein the stationary lens is spaced apart from the stationary image display device. 11. The slot machine of claim 8, wherein the stationary image display device is selected from a group consisting of a bundle of optical fibers, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, a dot matrix display, a vacuum fluorescent display, an organic liquid crystal display, an LED array, and electronic paper. 12. A method of operating a slot machine, the slot machine including a rotatably disposed mechanical reel comprising a reel strip, a stationary image display device and a stationary lens, the stationary image display device having a front surface, the stationary lens including a rear face and a front face, the rear face being adjacent to and optically coupled with the front surface of the stationary image display device, the method comprising: receiving, in response to an input via an input device, a wager to play a wagering game; anddisplaying a randomly selected reel symbol on the front surface of the stationary image display device, the front face of the stationary lens being generally curved to provide curvature to the displayed reel symbol, the curved front face of the stationary lens having a radius of curvature approximating a radius of curvature of the slot machine mechanical reel strip,wherein the stationary image display device and the stationary lens are positioned behind the reel strip and at a position corresponding to a display region of the slot machine, andwherein the mechanical reel strip defines an opening exposing the image displayed by the stationary display device through the stationary lens, andwherein as the mechanical reel is rotated, the stationary image display device and stationary lens remain stationary. 13. The method of claim 12, further including a transmissive window disposed in front of the curved front face of the stationary lens and exposing the reel symbol visible through the stationary lens. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the rear face of the stationary lens is spaced from the front surface of the stationary image display device by a gap. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the rear face of the stationary lens is in contact with the front surface of the stationary image display device. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the rear face of the stationary lens is at least substantially flat. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the radius of curvature is in a range of from about 4 to about 7 inches. 18. The method of claim 12, wherein the stationary image display device is selected from a group consisting of a bundle of optical fibers, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, a dot matrix display, a vacuum fluorescent display, an organic liquid crystal display, an LED array, and electronic paper. 19. A method of operating a slot machine, the slot machine including a display region comprising a rotatably disposed mechanical reel, the rotatably disposed mechanical reel comprising therewithin a stationary image display device and a stationary lens about which the mechanical reel is configured to rotate, the stationary lens being disposed in front of the stationary image display device and having a curved front surface, the image display device having a front surface, the lens including a rear face and a front face, the rear face being adjacent to and optically coupled with the front surface of the stationary image display device, the method comprising: receiving, in response to an input via an input device, a wager to play a wagering game on the slot machine; anddisplaying a randomly selected reel symbol on a front surface of the stationary image display device such that the reel symbol is visible through the stationary lens and is curved by the curved front surface of the stationary lens,wherein the stationary lens and the stationary image display device are positioned behind the reel strip and at a position corresponding to the display region of the slot machine,wherein as the mechanical reel is rotated, the stationary image display device and stationary lens remain stationary, andwherein the mechanical reel defines an opening exposing the stationary lens and the reel symbol displayed by the stationary image display device. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the curved front surface of the stationary lens has a radius of curvature that approximates the radius of curvature of a slot machine mechanical reel. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the stationary lens is spaced apart from the stationary image display device. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the stationary image display device is selected from a group consisting of a bundle of optical fibers, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, a dot matrix display, a vacuum fluorescent display, an organic liquid crystal display, an LED array, and electronic paper.