Patent ID: 8021224

Claim:
A method of playing a slot machine game which has a plurality of reels, a plurality of symbols associated with each reel and a plurality of pay lines and in which all game play and all free play are conducted during a basic play of the slot machine comprising: a) a player making a wager to participate in the game; b) randomly spinning the reels and displaying a symbol at a reel location on each reel; c) determining whether at least one winning combination appears anywhere on the reels; d) for every winning combination that appears, providing the player with: 1) a credit award based on a pay schedule; and 2) at least one free play of the slot machine using the same plurality of reels and symbols associated with each reels used at step b) and winning combinations used at step c); and e) for any subsequent, consecutive free play with a winning combination, providing the player for every winning combination that appears with: 1) a credit award based upon an enhanced pay table having a higher pay table than the pay table used in step d); and 2) at least one free play of the slot machine using the same plurality of reels and symbols associated with each reels used at step b) and winning combinations used at step c).