Patent ID: 7513826

Claim:
A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager by a player; a plurality of reels controlled by the processor, said reels including a plurality of symbols, each reel operable to display at least one of said symbols; and the processor programmed to operate with the plurality of reels to: (a) provide a first series of free spins of the reels, wherein a first symbol of the plurality of symbols on the reels acts as a wild symbol for said first series of free spins of the reels, such that said first symbol acts as at least one other symbol on the reels for said first series of free spins of the reels, and the free spins of the reels of the first series are provided until said first symbol in combination with other generated symbols results in one of a plurality of awards for the player a predetermined number of times, said predetermined number being at least one, wherein, for each free spin of the first series of free spins, one of said plurality of awards is provided for each winning symbol combination which occurs in said free spin, regardless of whether or not said winning symbol combination includes the first symbol; and (b) after said first symbol in combination with other generated symbols results in one of the plurality of awards for the player the predetermined number of times, automatically provide a second series of at least one free spin of the reels, wherein a second different symbol of the plurality of symbols on the reels acts as a wild symbol for said second series of at least one free spin of the reels, such that said second different symbol acts as at least one other symbol on the reels for said second series of at least one free spin of the reels.