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A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine is disclosed. The wagering game may, for example, be a video reel slot game that includes a plurality of symbols displayed in an array. The plurality of symbols are evaluated to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield one of

A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine is disclosed. The wagering game may, for example, be a video reel slot game that includes a plurality of symbols displayed in an array. The plurality of symbols are evaluated to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield one of a plurality of predefined winning combinations of symbols. The one of the symbols is changed to another of the symbols to form the winning combination, and an award is awarded for the winning combination.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising: receiving a wager to play the wagering game; displaying a plurality of symbols on a display; evaluating, by a processor, the plurality of symbols to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield one of a plu

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising: receiving a wager to play the wagering game; displaying a plurality of symbols on a display; evaluating, by a processor, the plurality of symbols to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield one of a plurality of predefined winning combinations of symbols, the evaluating including identifying a predefined winning combination of symbols; changing the one of the symbols to a changed symbol that was not displayed on the display prior to the changing to form the predefined winning combination of symbols on the display; and awarding an award for the predefined winning combination. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying step includes displaying the plurality of symbols in an array. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the displaying step includes rotating and stopping a plurality of symbol-bearing reels to place certain symbols on the reels in the array. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of symbols are displayed in the visual association with one or more pay lines, the predefined winning combination being along one of the pay lines. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating step occurs in response to a triggering event. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the triggering event includes at least one triggering symbol included among the plurality of symbols. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the triggering event includes an additional or maximum wager. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating step includes evaluating the plurality of symbols to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield a highest paying predefined winning combination of symbols. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying step includes displaying the plurality of symbols on a video display, and wherein the changing step includes transforming the one of the symbols to the changed symbol. 10. The method of claim 1, further including displaying the changed symbol on a second display prior to displaying the changed symbol on the display, the second display being physically separate from the display. 11. A method of conducting a reel slot game, comprising: receiving a wager to play the reel slot game; rotating a plurality of reels to place symbols on the reels in an array, wherein the array is displayed on a display; evaluating, in response to a triggering event, the array to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield one of a plurality of predefined winning combinations of symbols, the triggering event being an additional or maximum wager made by a player, the evaluating including identifying a predefined winning combination of symbols; changing the one of the symbols to a second symbol to form the predefined winning combination of symbols on the display and only displaying the second symbol on the display after the evaluating of the array has occurred; and awarding an award for the predefined winning combination. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the triggering event includes at least one triggering symbol included among the plurality of symbols. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the symbols in the array are displayed in visual association with one or more pay lines, the predefined winning combination being along one of the pay lines. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the evaluating step includes evaluating the array to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield a highest paying predefined winning combination of symbols. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the reels are simulated on a video display, and wherein the changing step includes transforming the one of the symbols to the second symbol. 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the evaluating is performed by a processor. 17. A gaming apparatus for conducting a wagering game, comprising: a display for displaying a plurality of symbols, wherein the display is a video display; and a processor for evaluating the plurality of symbols to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield one of a plurality of predefined winning combinations of symbols, the evaluating including identifying a predefined winning combination of symbols; causing the display to transform the one of the symbols to a different symbol to form the predefined winning combination of symbols on the display, the different symbol not being presented before the transformation occurs; and awarding an award for the predefined winning combination. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the display displays the plurality of symbols in an array. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the display displays a plurality of symbol-bearing reels that are rotated and stopped to place certain symbols on the reels in the array. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the display displays the plurality of symbols in visual association with one or more pay lines, the predefined winning combination being along one of the pay lines. 21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor evaluates the plurality of symbols in response to a triggering event. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the triggering event includes at least one triggering symbol included among the plurality of symbols. 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the triggering event includes an additional or maximum wager. 24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor evaluates the plurality of symbols to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield a highest paying predefined winning combination of symbols. 25. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising: receiving a wager to play the wagering game; displaying a plurality of symbols on a display; evaluating, by a processor, the plurality of symbols to determine whether a change of a single one of the displayed symbols will result in a one of a plurality of predefined winning combinations of symbols, the evaluating including identifying a predefined winning combination of symbols; changing the single one of the symbols to a changed symbol to form the predefined winning combination of symbols on the display, and only displaying the changed symbol on the display after the evaluating of the plurality of symbols has occurred, the changing occurring in response to an additional or maximum wager; and awarding an award for the predefined winning combination. 26. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising: receiving a wager to play the wagering game; displaying a plurality of symbols on a video display; evaluating the plurality of symbols to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield one of a plurality of predefined winning combinations of symbols, the evaluating including identifying a predefined winning combination of symbols; transforming the one of the symbols to a different symbol to form the predefined winning combination of symbols on the display, the different symbol not being displayed on the video display prior to the transforming; maintaining the displaying of all of the symbols except the one different symbol the change of which yields the predefined winning combination of symbols; and awarding an award for the predefined winning combination. 27. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising: receiving a wager from a player to play the wagering game; offering the player a win-completion feature for an additional wager; displaying a plurality of symbols on a first display; evaluating the plurality of symbols to determine a change to one of the symbols that will yield one of a plurality of predefined winning combinations of symbols, the evaluating including identifying a predefined winning combination of symbols; displaying a second symbol on a second display, the second display being physically separate from the first display; in response to the player selecting the win-completion feature, changing the one of the symbols to the second symbol after the second symbol has been displayed on the second displays, the second symbol being part of the predefined winning combination of symbols; and awarding an award for the predefined winning combination.