A gaming machine comprising a display device and game-logic circuitry that initiates a cycle counter and links a multiplier value to a symbol position. The display device selectively populates the symbol position with a value-bearing symbol including award indicia indicating an award value, updates the award indicia at least partially as a function of the award value and the multiplier value and locks, in response to the symbol position being populated by the value-bearing symbol, the value-bearing symbol within the symbol position and updates the award indicia based on the award value and the multiplier value, updates the cycle counter and the multiplier value in response to the symbol position remaining unpopulated, presents multiplier indicia associated with the updated multiplier value, and presents an award at least partially as a function of an award value indicated by award indicia of any locked value-bearing symbols within a plurality of symbol positions.