Patent ID: 8900048

Claim:
A method of gaming on an automated gaming system having at least one gaming machine including a display having a plurality of regular mechanical reels and at least one mechanical overlay reel configured to overlie a corresponding one of the plurality of regular mechanical reels, the automated gaming system further having at least one processing unit configured to execute one or more method operations, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a first set of symbols on the plurality of regular mechanical reels, wherein the first set of symbols corresponds to a first likelihood of a winning outcome of a game that is to be executed at the gaming machine; establishing at least one replacement symbol on the at least one mechanical overlay reel, wherein a combination of the first set of symbols and the at least one replacement symbol provides a second set of symbols having a second likelihood of a winning outcome of the game, the second likelihood being greater than the first likelihood; receiving a wager for a play of the game from a player at the gaming machine; using the first set of symbols to play the game at the gaming machine if the wager is of a first value; if the wager is of the first value, selecting a fixed number of symbols from the first set of symbols for determining an outcome of the game, wherein the outcome is displayed on the display; if the wager is of a second, higher value, replacing at least one symbol of the first set of symbols on the corresponding one of the plurality of regular mechanical reels with the at least one replacement symbol of the at least one mechanical overlay reel by directing the at least one mechanical overlay reel to a position in which the at least one replacement symbol of the at least one mechanical overlay reel overlies the at least one symbol of the first set of symbols that is to be replaced; and using the second set of symbols to play the game by rotating the plurality of regular mechanical reels and the at least one mechanical overlay reel in concert, and displaying an outcome of the game on the display.