Patent ID: 8100752

Claim:
A method for conducting a wagering game on an electronic casino player station using a processor, the method including the steps of: (a) responsive to a player input, randomly or quasi-randomly determining a first game outcome from a set of potential game outcomes using the processor; (b) in accordance with the first game outcome, displaying a first subset of game symbols, on an electronic video display associated with the casino player station, from a set of potential game symbols including a target symbol, and awarding one or more awards based on one or more symbol patterns associated with the first subset and corresponding to a paytable; (c) if the first subset of game symbols does not include the target symbol, awarding a first award based on the absence of the target symbol, wherein the first award is separate from the one or more awards based on the other game symbols in the first subset; (d) otherwise, randomly or quasi-randomly determining a second game outcome from the set of potential game outcomes, and, in accordance with the second game outcome, displaying a second subset of game symbols from the set of potential game symbols; (e) if the second subset of game symbols does not include the target symbol, awarding a second award, wherein (i) the second award is less than the first award; and (ii) the second award is based on the absence of the target symbol and is separate from the one or more awards based on the other game symbols in the first subset.