Patent ID: 7470183

Claim:
A method of operating a gaming device, for each and every play of a game said method comprising: (a) receiving data indicative of a final outcome for a play of the game upon a wager; (b) if the received data indicative of the final outcome indicates a winning outcome: (i) displaying an initial set of symbols indicative of the final outcome, the initial set of symbols including an initial winning subset of symbols and an initial non-winning subset of symbols, said initial set of symbols selected from a plurality of identical sets of symbols, each set of symbols having a plurality of different symbols; (ii) receiving player input data indicative of a subset of symbols in the initial set to be discarded; and (iii) if the received player input data indicative of the subset of symbols to be discarded includes at least one symbol from the initial winning subset: (A) determining replacement symbols such that a final set of symbols is indicative of the final outcome, wherein the final set of symbols includes the replacement symbols in place of the subset of symbols to be discarded and said replacement symbols are from the plurality of identical sets of symbols; (B) displaying the final set of symbols which is indicative of the final outcome; and (C) providing, according to a predetermined paytable, an award corresponding to the displayed final set of symbols, wherein, for the play of the game, the award is provided regardless of the player input data; and (c) repeating (a) to (b) for at least another play of the game, wherein for each and every play of the game, if a final outcome indicates a winning outcome, a final set of symbols which is indicative of the winning outcome is displayed to the player regardless of any player input.