Patent ID: 8888579

Claim:
A method of operating a gaming apparatus, said method comprising: for a play of a game associated with a set of a plurality of reels each associated with a plurality of symbols: (a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display each of the reels of the set spinning; (b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to stop at least one, but fewer than all, of the spinning reels of the set from spinning such that, for each stopped reel, at least one of the symbols associated with said stopped reel is displayed; (c) after at least one of the reels of the set stops spinning but before each of the reels of the set stops spinning, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to: (i) determine whether the symbols displayed in association with the one or more stopped reels form part of a designated symbol combination; and (ii) if it is determined that the symbols displayed in association with the one or more stopped reels form part of the designated symbol combination, operate with the at least one display device to, before each of the reels of the set stops spinning, increase a speed at which at least one spinning reel is spinning; and (d) after each reel of the set has stopped spinning, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether any winning symbol combinations are displayed and operate with the at least one display device to display any awards associated with any displayed winning symbol combinations.