Patent ID: 8444473

Claim:
A gaming device 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 symbol matrix, said symbol matrix including a plurality of symbol positions; (b) for each symbol position of the symbol matrix, display a randomly, generated one of a plurality of different symbols from a symbol pool; (c) display a plurality of symbol staging areas adjacent to the symbol matrix; (d) for each of the symbol staging areas, display at least one randomly generated supplemental symbol; (e) provide a first award based on any winning symbol combination displayed in the symbol matrix; (f) determine if a triggering event occurs; and (g) if the triggering event occurs: (i) display an indication of one of the symbol staging areas, (ii) remove at least one symbol from the symbol matrix, resulting in at least one empty symbol position, (iii) for each empty symbol position of the symbol matrix, shift one of the supplemental symbols from the indicated symbol staging area into said symbol matrix to fill said empty symbol position, and (iv) after such shifting, provide a second award for any winning symbol combinations displayed in the symbol matrix.