Patent Document ID: 20170270743
Application ID: 15615384
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A gaming system comprising: a gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the casino wagering game including an electronic display device and one or more electronic input devices; and game-logic circuitry configured to: detect, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; initiate the casino wagering game in response to an initiation input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance, the casino wagering game comprising a first plurality of indicia-bearing reels which are spun or appear to spin to produce an outcome in a first game matrix; in response to a triggering event, initiate at least one feature game comprising a second plurality of indicia-bearing reels which are spun or appear to spin to produce an outcome in a second game matrix, wherein a single expanded reel replaces at least part of the first game matrix and the second game matrix and is spun or appears to spin to simultaneously produce an outcome in both the first game matrix and the second game matrix; and receive, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.