GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AWARDS BASED ON ADDING SYMBOLS

1 . A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

cause a display, by a display device, of a symbol at each of a plurality of default symbol display positions,

responsive to a symbol addition event occurring:

cause a display, by the display device, of a symbol at an additional symbol display position, the additional symbol display position being separate from each of the plurality of default symbol display positions and the additional symbol display position being located along a payline between at least two of the default symbol display positions,

determine any award associated with the symbols displayed at the default symbol display positions along the payline and the additional symbol display position along the payline, and

cause a display, by the display device, of any determined award associated with the symbols displayed at the default symbol display positions along the payline and the additional symbol display position along the payline, and

responsive to no symbol addition event occurring:

determine any award associated with the symbols displayed at the default symbol display positions along the payline, and

cause a display, by the display device, of any determined award associated with the symbols displayed at the default symbol display positions along the payline.

2 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the symbol addition event occurring, the instructions cause the processor to determine a quantity of symbol display positions to add.

3 . The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to determine a location of each of the determined quantity of symbol display positions to add.

4 . The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to determine the quantity of symbol display positions to add based on a location of each of the added symbol display positions.

5 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the symbol displayed at the additional symbol display position comprises a designated symbol.

6 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the additional symbol display position is located between four of the default symbol display positions.

7 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the symbol addition event occurring, the instructions cause the processor to determine, for each available location where an additional symbol display position may be added, whether to add an additional symbol display position at that location.

8 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the display device comprises a mobile device.

9 . The gaming system of claim 1 , further comprising an acceptor, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

10 . A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

causing a display, by a display device, of a symbol at each of a plurality of default symbol display positions,

responsive to a symbol addition event occurring:

causing a display, by the display device, of a symbol at an additional symbol display position, the additional symbol display position being separate from each of the plurality of default symbol display positions and the additional symbol display position being located along a payline between at least two of the default symbol display positions,

determining, by a processor, any award associated with the symbols displayed at the default symbol display positions along the payline and the additional symbol display position along the payline, and

causing a display, by the display device, of any determined award associated with the symbols displayed at the default symbol display positions along the payline and the additional symbol display position along the payline, and

responsive to no symbol addition event occurring:

determining, by the processor, any award associated with the symbols displayed at the default symbol display positions along the payline, and

causing a display, by the display device, of any determined award associated with the symbols displayed at the default symbol display positions along the payline.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising, responsive to the symbol addition event occurring, determining, by the processor, a quantity of symbol display positions to add.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining, by the processor, a location of each of the determined quantity of symbol display positions to add.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining, by the processor, the quantity of symbol display positions to add based on a location of each of the added symbol display positions.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the symbol displayed at the additional symbol display position comprises a designated symbol.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the additional symbol display position is located between four of the default symbol display positions.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising, responsive to the symbol addition event occurring, determining, by the processor, for each available location where an additional symbol display position may be added, whether to add an additional symbol display position at that location.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any determined award, the credit balance being increasable responsive to a physical item associated with a monetary value being received via a payment acceptor