A gaming system includes a plurality of gaming machines and a promotional server in communication with each gaming machine. Each gaming machine is configured to run a spinning reel base game, including displaying spinning reel columns, determining symbol display positions for symbols displayed on each spinning reel column, and determining a base game outcome based on the symbol display positions. The promotional server initiates a multi-game machine bonus game among a set of the gaming machines, and selects a spinning reel column of the plurality of spinning reel columns from each gaming machine. The promotional server also associates the selected spinning reel column from each gaming machine in a bonus game display, and determines an outcome of the bonus game based on the symbol display positions on the selected spinning reel column from each gaming machine.