Patent ID: 7526736

Claim:
A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager by a player; a plurality of reels in the game; a plurality of symbols on the reels, (a) said symbols including a first designated symbol at a designated position on said reels, said first designated symbol selectively displayable as either first indicia or as different second indicia at said designated position on the reels, and (b) said symbols including a second designated symbol at a different designated position on said reels, said second designated symbol selectively displayable as first indicia or as different second indicia at said designated position on the reels, the first designated symbol and the second designated symbol being the same symbol, the first indicia of the first designated symbol being the same as the first indicia of the second designated symbol, wherein each of said designated symbols has a function on the reels in the game for determining any winning outcomes; an input device operable with the processor to enable the player to select which of the first indicia or the second indicia of the first designated symbol will be displayed at the designated position of said first designated symbol on said reels, wherein: (a) if the player inputs a selection of the first indicia of the first designated symbol on the reels to be displayed at the designated position of said first designated symbol on said reels, the processor causes: (i) the first indicia of said first designated symbol to be displayed at said designated position of said first designated symbol on the reels, and (ii) the first indicia of the second designated symbol to be displayed at said designated position of said second designated symbol on the reels, and (b) if the player inputs a selection of the second indicia of the first designated symbol on the reels to be displayed at the designated position of said first designated symbol on said reels, the processor causes: (i) the second indicia of said first designated symbol to be displayed at said designated position of said first designated symbol on the reels, and (ii) the second indicia of the second designated symbol to be displayed at said designated position of said second designated symbol on the reels; and at least one winning outcome adapted to be provided to the player based on the symbols generated on said reels and said functions of said symbols regardless of which of said indicia is displayed at the designated position of said designated symbol.