Patent ID: 8585487

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one input device; at least one display device operable to display a game; 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, for at least one play of the game: (a) display said game including a plurality of adjacently arranged reels, wherein: (i) a first of the reels includes a plurality of symbols including a plurality of at least one designated symbol arranged adjacent to each other on the first reel; (ii) a second of the reels includes a plurality of symbols; and (iii) a third of the reels includes a plurality of symbols including a plurality of the at least one designated symbol arranged adjacent to each other on the third reel; (b) generate and display a plurality of symbols on the plurality of reels; (c) determine if the first and third reel each display at least two symbols of the plurality of the at least one designated symbol; (d) when the first and third reels each display at least two symbols of the plurality of the at least one designated symbol, modify at least one of any symbol that is different from the designated symbol displayed on the second reel into the designated symbol; (e) determine an award for any winning symbol combinations; and (f) display any determined award.