Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a gaming device having oversized symbols in the play matrix. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a gaming apparatus having an improved game play comprising oversized symbols in the play matrix, and methods of administering, operating and playing the same in wagering and non-wagering applications. In one embodiment of the present invention, a game comprises a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol positions on the reels, the plurality of symbols including an oversized symbol occupying at least a plurality of symbol positions; and predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations including the oversized symbol, wherein the predetermined winning symbol combination is associated with an award.