Patent ID: 8292726

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one display device; at least one input device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to: (a) display a game including a plurality of symbols, the symbols being displayable at a plurality of symbol display areas; (b) randomly generate a first set of the symbols and display the first set of the symbols at the symbol display areas; (c) for the random generation of the first set of the symbols: (i) determine whether any of a plurality of different winning symbol combinations are displayed; (ii) if any of the winning symbol combinations are displayed, determine any awards associated with the displayed winning symbol combinations; and (iii) if a designated triggering condition occurs in association with a designated one of the symbol display areas, determine that the designated one of the symbol display areas will be an award modification symbol display area for a random generation of a second set of the symbols; (d) randomly generate the second set of the symbols and display the second set of the symbols at the symbol display areas; and (e) for the random generation of the second set of the symbols: (i) determine whether any of the winning symbol combinations are displayed; and (ii) if one of the winning symbol combinations is displayed: (a) determine an award associated with said displayed winning symbol combination; (b) if the designated one of the symbol display areas is the award modification symbol display area, and if one of the symbols of said displayed winning symbol combination is displayed at the award modification symbol display area, modify said determined award; and (c) display said modified award.