Patent ID: 8574061

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one input device; at least one display device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device storing 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 input device and the at least one display device to: for a play of a game associated with a plurality of different symbols: (a) display a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas; (b) for an activation of the reels, randomly generate and cause each of the reels to display one of the symbols on said reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with said reel; and (c) upon an occurrence of a triggering event: (i) add one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels; (ii) provide a plurality of additional activations of the reels; and (iii) for each of the additional activations of the reels prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels: (A) for each of one or more of the reels, randomly generate and cause said reel to display one of the symbols on said reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with said reel; (B) display any awards associated with any displayed winning combinations of the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas; and (C) for each added wild symbol remaining on one of the reels, if a removal condition is satisfied, remove said wild symbol from said reel for at least one subsequent one of the additional activations of the reels.