Electronic gaming machine and method for holding designated symbols during a wagering game and incrementally increasing a multiplier

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to at least:

• control a display device to display a plurality of columns of symbol positions, each symbol position including a symbol selected from a set of symbols;
• determine whether any of the symbol positions of the plurality of columns of symbol positions include a designated symbol;
• in response to determining that a symbol position includes the designated symbol:
• i) control the display device to hold the designated symbol in the symbol position for at least one subsequent game instance of a series of game instances, and ii) change a multiplier used in calculating a game award;
• determine whether to provide the game award;
• and
• in response to determining to provide the game award, calculate the game award using the changed multiplier.

A method comprising:

• controlling, by a processor, a display device to display a plurality of columns of symbol positions, each symbol position including a symbol selected from a set of symbols;
• determining, by the processor, whether any of the symbol positions of the plurality of columns of symbol positions include a designated symbol;
• in response to determining that a symbol position includes the designated symbol:
• i) controlling, by the processor, the display device to hold the designated symbol in the symbol position for at least one subsequent game instance of a series of game instances, and ii) incrementing, by the processor, a multiplier used in calculating a game award;
• determining, by the processor, whether to provide the game award;
• and
• in response to determining to provide the game award, calculating, by the processor, the game award using one of a previous multiplier or the increased multiplier.