Electronic gaming device with bonus game extended reel functionality

A method of providing gaming options via an electronic gaming device comprising:

• accepting, via at least one wager accepting device configured to accept a physical item associated with a monetary value and increasing a credit balance associated with said electronic gaming device;
• determining via one or more processors one or more wagers placed from said credit balance relating to one or more game plays;
• initiating a base game, the base game comprising the displaying of active symbol locations and inactive symbol locations and comprising a spin where the spin moves a plurality of reels and stops a movement of the plurality of reels to display symbols in at least one of the active symbol locations,
• after the spin, evaluating whether a second chance event has been triggered, wherein said inactive symbol locations are not utilized to determine if the second chance event has been triggered or for any base game payout determination;
• when the second chance event has been triggered, converting at least a first of said inactive symbol locations to a second chance event active symbol location and evaluating symbols displayed in said active symbol locations and each second chance event active symbol location for a whether a bonus event has been triggered;
• when the bonus event has been triggered, initiating at least one bonus game comprising the display of the active symbol locations and the converted second chance event active symbol locations, the bonus event including a bonus spin where the bonus spin moves the plurality of reels and stops a movement of the plurality of reels to display symbols in at least one of the active symbol locations and the second chance event active symbol locations;
• and
• awarding a payout for a base gaming winning outcome and a bonus event winning outcome by increasing said credit balance.