Patent ID: 7857695

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one display device; at least one input device; 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: (a) display a plurality of reels, said reels having a plurality of symbols including at least one wild symbol, wherein at least one winning symbol combination is associated with said symbols; (b) cause an activation of the reels; (c) if, after said activation, at least one of the reels displays one of said wild symbols and the reels do not display one of the winning symbol combinations including the displayed wild symbol or symbols: (i) hold stationary each of said reels displaying one of the wild symbols, and (ii) re-activate at least one of the reels other than the stationary reel or reels until one of the winning symbol combinations is displayed on the reels; and (d) provide an award to a player based on the winning symbol combination displayed on the reels.