detecting, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;

initiating the at least one casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;

displaying an electronic reel simulation including a multiple reel array for the at least one wagering game on a game display of the gaming machine of the gaming system;

determining, using the game-logic circuitry, a game outcome and causing the game outcome to be presented on the game display, the game outcome comprising a plurality of symbols for an array of displayed positions of the multiple reel array;

defining, before game play of the at least one wagering game and without player input, one or more block arrangements used for evaluating qualification of the game outcome for a block pay win, wherein each block arrangement comprises two or more stacks of a same size within the array, each stack comprises two or more adjacent positions along a first direction within the array, each stack occupies a different position within the array in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and all of the two or more stacks are aligned in the second direction, wherein symbols presented on the game display including within the one or more block arrangements within the array are each independently selected randomly from each other;

determining, using the game-logic circuitry, one or more winning combinations of the symbols according to payout ways rules, wherein each winning combination comprises two or more matching symbols appearing in the displayed positions in combinations of payout ways predefined before the game play;

determining, using the game-logic circuitry, whether the one or more block arrangements include a winning block that qualifies for a block pay win according to block pay rules that are different than the payout ways rules, wherein the block pay win is achieved if matching symbols appear in displayed positions corresponding with the one or more block arrangements;

issuing an award responsive to determining the one or more winning combinations of the symbols determined by the payout ways rules;

issuing another award responsive to determining the one or more winning blocks determined by the block pay rules, wherein a size of a payout for the another award depends, at least in part, on a size of the winning block determined by the game-logic circuitry; and

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.