Gaming machine and methods of allowing a player to play gaming machines having expanding symbol positions

A gaming device, comprising:

• a display device configured to display a game;
• a user input device configured to generate a signal indicative of a player's selection input;
• and
• a controller coupled to the display device and the user input device, the controller configured to:
• display the game on the display device, the game including at least one reel, the at least one reel being displayed with a plurality of symbol positions, the plurality of symbol positions including a plurality of normal symbol positions and a plurality of special symbol positions;
• determine a first amount of special symbol positions being displayed with the at least one reel in a first instance of the game;
• spin and stop the at least one reel to display the first instance on the display device, the at least one reel being displayed with the first amount of special symbol positions;
• determine a second amount of special symbol positions being displayed with the at least one reel in a subsequent second instance of the game, the second amount of special symbol positions being different than the first amount of special symbol positions;
• and
• spin and stop the at least one reel to display the second instance, the at least one reel being displayed with the second amount of special symbol positions.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

• display, on a display device, a game including at least one reel, the at least one reel being displayed with a plurality of symbol positions, the plurality of symbol positions including a plurality of normal symbol positions and a plurality of special symbol positions;
• determine a first amount of special symbol positions being displayed with the at least one reel in a first instance of the game;
• spin and stop the at least one reel to display the first instance on the display device, the at least one reel being displayed with the first amount of special symbol positions;
• determine a second amount of special symbol positions being displayed with the at least one reel in a subsequent second instance of the game, the second amount of special symbol positions being different than the first amount of special symbol positions;
• and
• spin and stop the at least one reel to display the second instance, the at least one reel being displayed with the second amount of special symbol positions.