Patent ID: 8491370

Claim:
A method of presenting a game to a player of an electronic gaming machine in which the player has the opportunity for base or enhanced awards in that game, comprising the steps of: accepting a wager from a player via a wager input device of said gaming machine; providing a first pay table comprising a plurality of winning outcomes each having a base award associated therewith; displaying an initial set of indicia to said player via an electronic video display of said gaming machine; evaluating said initial set of indicia to determine if one or more indicia in said initial set of indicia is an initial winning outcome by comparing said initial set of indicia to said plurality of winning outcomes of said first pay table, said initial winning outcome being one of said plurality of winning outcomes; wherein when said initial set of indicia is not an initial winning outcome defined by said first pay table, then: continuing said game and determining an outcome of said game utilizing said first pay table; and wherein when said initial set of indicia is an initial winning outcome, then: designating at least one enhanced winning outcome comprising at least one of said winning outcomes which, in order to be achieved, requires said player to discard and replace at least one indicia that defines said initial winning outcome so that the remaining indicia from said initial set of indicia no longer defines said initial winning outcome, in an attempt to form said enhanced winning outcome; and continuing said game and determining an outcome of said game utilizing a second pay table having an enhanced award associated with said at least one enhanced winning outcome, said enhanced award being greater than said base award.