Patent ID: 8758115
Filing Date: 2014-06-24
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
1. A method of providing a wagering game, the method comprising: (a) receiving a game play request with an associated wager, at a gaming machine including an electronic display and an electronic processor operatively connected to control the gaming machine and the electronic display; (b) at some point after the game play request and in response to the game play request, causing the electronic display to a matrix of symbol locations comprised of multiple reels each including one or more symbol locations; (c) under control of the electronic processor, conducting a designated number of spins of the reels on the electronic display, each spin producing a spin result, each spin result having a chance to include one or more target symbols of one or more types; (d) in response to a spin result including a target symbol, for each respective target symbol of the one or more types included in the spin result, under control of the electronic processor displaying on the electronic display an indication that the respective target symbol is accumulated, the indication being displayed in a designated display area, outside of the matrix of symbol locations, for its respective target symbol type; (e) after the designated number of spins of the reels have been exhausted, under control of the electronic processor automatically determining whether the amount of accumulated target symbols in the designated display area outside of the matrix of symbol locations of any of the symbol types are within a designated threshold such that they almost qualify for an award; (f) under control of the electronic processor, determining a price of a re-spin of the reels, by determining an expected value for the re-spin considering how close the player is to achieving an award for each of the symbol types and choosing the price based at least in part on the expected value; (g) under control of the electronic processor, displaying on the electronic display a notification indicating availability of a re-spin of all of the reels for a wager of the determined price; (h) receiving a further wager at the determined price for the re-spin of all of the reels; (i) in response to receiving the further wager, under control of the electronic processor, conducting the re-spin to produce a re-spin result, the re-spin result having a chance to include one or more target symbols of one or more types; (j) in response to the re-spin producing one or more respective target symbols of the one or more types, under control of the electronic processor, displaying on the electronic display an indication that the respective target symbols have been accumulated in the designated display area outside of the matrix of symbol locations.