Patent ID: 7666093

Claim:
A method of conducting a wagering game, for each play of the wagering game, said method comprising: accepting a player wager; spinning a plurality of reels to generate a plurality of symbols; resolving the player wager by paying an award in response to the generated symbols for the spin of the reels corresponding to a winning condition; in response to at least one symbol generated by a first one of the plurality of reels being a first designated symbol, automatically increasing a value of a first progressive award associated with the first one of the plurality of reels, wherein an amount of said increase is based on the generated first designated symbol; and in response to at least one symbol generated by a second one of the plurality of reels being a second designated symbol, automatically increasing a value of a second progressive award associated with the second one of the plurality of reels, wherein an amount of said increase is based on the generated second designated symbol.