Patent ID: 8851974

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one display device; at least one input device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to: (a) for each of a plurality of symbol positions, cause a random determination and display of a symbol from a first plurality of different symbols, said plurality of symbol positions forming at least three columns and at least three rows, said at least three rows including a first row, a second row positioned adjacent to the first row and a third row positioned adjacent to the second row; (b) for at least one of any winning symbol combinations formed by said displayed symbols: (i) display any award associated with the winning symbol combination, (ii) provide any displayed award associated with the winning symbol combination, (iii) remove at least one of the displayed symbols which forms said winning symbol combination, (iv) for each of any symbols removed from the first row of the symbol positions, reposition at least one of the displayed symbols to another one of the symbol positions to create at least one empty symbol position, and (v) for each of any symbols removed from the second row of the symbol positions, reposition at least one of the displayed symbols to another one of the symbol positions to create at least one empty symbol position; (c) if at least two empty symbol positions are created and a predetermined designated symbol triggering event occurs: (i) thereafter, generate a quantity of predetermined designated symbols, wherein said quantity of predetermined designated symbols is at least one, each of the quantity of predetermined designated symbols is generated independent of each of the symbols of the first plurality of symbols and the quantity of generated predetermined designated symbols is less than a quantity of empty symbol positions created, and (ii) for each of the quantity of generated predetermined designated symbols, display said generated predetermined designated symbol in one of the empty symbol positions; and (d) for each of any winning symbol combinations formed by said displayed symbols: (i) display any award associated with said winning symbol combination, and (ii) provide any displayed award associated with said winning symbol combination.