Patent ID: 8197330

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a wager input device; a display for displaying a plurality of primary symbols, a first bonus reel, and a second bonus reel, the first and second bonus reels having a plurality of bonus symbols thereon, the first bonus reel being displayed within a first reel window having a first plurality of display positions and the second bonus reel being displayed within a second reel window having a second plurality of display positions; and a controller operative to: (i) detect a primary wager, a first bonus wager, and a second bonus wager; (ii) vary the primary symbols and spin and stop the first bonus reel and the second bonus reel to display a randomly selected outcome; (iii) provide a primary award if the primary symbols display a winning outcome; (iv) select at least one of the first plurality of display positions of the first reel window and provide a first bonus award if the first bonus wager is detected and the first bonus reel displays a first bonus winning outcome where one of the bonus symbols occupies the at least one selected display portion of the first reel window, the first bonus award being awarded independent of a payline; and (v) select at least one of the second plurality of display positions of the second reel window and provide a second bonus award if the second bonus wager is detected and the second bonus reel displays a second bonus winning outcome where one of the bonus symbols occupies the at least one selected display portion of the second reel window, the second bonus award being awarded independent of a payline.