Patent ID: 7744458

Claim:
A gaming device comprising: a display device; an input device; a processor; and a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device for a play of a game to; and (a) display a symbol matrix, said symbol matrix including a plurality of symbol positions; (b) enable a player to individually select and independently wager on each of a plurality of different activatable symbols from a plurality of symbols to activate said symbol, said plurality of symbols associated with a plurality of symbol generators; (c) after the player wagers on one of the symbols, display a plurality of the symbols in the symbol positions of the symbol matrix; (d) evaluate the displayed symbols in the symbol matrix for any winning symbol combinations which include at least two of the same activated symbols displayed adjacently in the symbol matrix, wherein said same symbols of the winning combinations may be located at any adjacent symbol positions in the symbol matrix; and (e) provide an award to the player for any determined winning symbol combinations.