Electronic gaming machine and method

An electronic gaming machine comprising:

• a display for displaying game symbols for playing a game of chance, wherein said game of chance comprises randomly displaying said game symbols in a plurality of reels and awarding prizes to a player for predetermined winning combinations of game symbols appearing on said reels;
• an electronic game controller in electronic communication with said display for controlling the appearance of said game symbols in said game of chance on the display;
• and
• a value transfer mechanism for receiving value from a player to make a bet and initiate play of said game of chance on said display, the value transfer mechanism including at least one of a coin acceptor, a paper currency acceptor and a ticket reader;
• wherein said electronic game controller in response to said player making said bet via said value transfer mechanism commences play of said game of chance;
• wherein said electronic game controller assigns a number of special symbols to one or more reel strips associated with said reels, said number of special symbols being variable and dependent on a first bet value selected by said player;
• and
• wherein the appearance of at least two special symbols in said game of chance causes said electronic game controller to activate a bonus game of chance comprising the award of at least one said bonus prize by said electronic game controller in response to a predetermined outcome of said bonus game of chance.