Gaming system, method, and program product for selecting game symbols in a wagering game

1. A method for operating a gaming machine in which at least a first symbol location in a matrix of symbol locations is populated using a first reel strip of a first mechanical or video-generated reel, the first reel strip including a number of stop positions comprising a total number of stop positions from which the at least first symbol location is populated, each stop position containing a respective game symbol available for populating the at least first symbol location, the method including:

(a) for an activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel, randomly selecting a game symbol weighting set from a number of game symbol weighting sets stored in a data storage device, the random selection of the game symbol weighting set being performed under control of a system of one or more processing devices, wherein,

(i) each game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets correlates a respective probability with each stop position included on the first reel strip, the respective probability correlated to a respective stop position included on the first reel strip defining a probability for landing at the respective stop position included on the first reel strip for the activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel,

(ii) the number of game symbol weighting sets includes a first game symbol weighting set associated with a first target symbol included in a universe of game symbols contained on the first reel strip and available for populating the at least first symbol location,

(iii) the probability defined by the first game symbol weighting set for landing on the stop position containing the first target symbol is relatively higher than the probability defined by at least one other game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets for landing on the stop position containing the first target symbol;

(b) under control of the system of one or more processing devices, applying the selected game symbol weighting set to randomly select a landing stop position for the activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel from among all of the number of stop positions included on the first reel strip; and

(c) under control of the system of one or more processing devices, activating the first mechanical or video-generated reel to spin and then come to a stop at the landing stop position to display at the gaming machine the respective game symbol contained on the first reel strip at the landing stop position.

2. The method of claim 1 in which at least one additional symbol location in the matrix of symbol locations is populated using a respective additional reel strip of a respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel, each respective additional reel strip including a number of stop positions comprising a respective total number of stop positions from which the respective additional symbol location is populated, each stop position for the respective additional reel strip containing a respective game symbol available for populating the respective additional symbol location:

(a) wherein each game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets correlates a respective probability with each stop position included on each respective additional reel strip, the respective probability correlated to a respective stop position included on the respective additional reel strip defining a probability for landing at the respective stop position included on the respective additional reel strip for an activation of the respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel;

(b) under control of the system of one or more processing devices, applying the selected game symbol weighting set to randomly select a respective landing stop position for the activation of each respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel from among all of the number of stop positions included on the respective additional reel strip; and

(c) under control of the system of one or more processing devices, activating each respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel to spin and then come to a stop at the respective landing stop position selected for the respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel to display at the gaming machine the respective game symbol contained on the respective additional reel strip at the respective landing stop position.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

(a) the selected game symbol weighting set includes a first set of stop position weightings which correlates the respective probability with each stop position on the first reel strip and for each additional reel strip a respective additional set of stop position weightings which correlates the respective probability with each stop position on the respective additional reel strip; and

(b) each additional set of stop position weightings is unequal to the first set of stop position weightings and is unequal to each other additional set of stop position weightings.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the matrix of symbol locations includes at least two rows of symbol locations and two columns of symbol locations and wherein the first reel strip exclusively populates the first symbol location and each additional reel strip exclusively populates a different respective symbol location in the matrix of symbol locations.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the number of game symbol weighting sets includes at least one additional game symbol weighting set associated with a respective additional target symbol included in the universe of game symbols contained on the first reel strip and available for populating the at least first symbol location; and

(b) the probability defined by the respective additional game symbol weighting set for landing on the stop position containing the respective additional target symbol is relatively higher than the probability defined by each other game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets for landing on the stop position containing the respective additional target symbol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the number of game symbol weighting sets has approximately the same payout percentage.

7. A gaming machine including:

(a) a display system operable for displaying a result in a game in which at least a first symbol location in a matrix of symbol locations is populated using a first reel strip of a first mechanical or video-generated reel, the first reel strip including a number of stop positions comprising a total number of stop positions from which the at least first symbol location is populated, each stop position containing a respective game symbol available for populating the at least first symbol location;

(b) a player input system;

(c) at least one processor;

(d) at least one data storage device storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to:

(i) for an activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel, randomly select a game symbol weighting set from a number of game symbol weighting sets stored in the at least one data storage device, the random selection of the game symbol weighting set being performed under control of a system of one or more processing devices,

(ii) under control of the system of one or more processing devices, apply the selected game symbol weighting set to randomly select a landing stop position for the activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel from among all of the number of stop positions included on the first reel strip;

(iii) under control of the system of one or more processing devices, activate the first mechanical or video-generated reel to spin and then come to a stop at the landing stop position to display at the gaming machine the respective game symbol contained on the first reel strip at the landing stop position;

(e) wherein each game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets correlates a respective probability with each stop position included on the first reel strip, the respective probability correlated to a respective stop position included on the first reel strip defining a probability for landing at the respective stop position included on the first reel strip for the activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel;

(f) wherein the number of game symbol weighting sets includes a first game symbol weighting set associated with a first target symbol included in a universe of game symbols contained on the first reel strip and available for populating the at least first symbol location; and

(g) wherein the probability defined by the first game symbol weighting set for landing on the stop position containing the first target symbol is relatively higher than the probability defined by at least one other game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets for landing on the stop position containing the first target symbol.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7 wherein:

(a) in the result in the game at least one additional symbol location in the matrix of symbol locations is populated using a respective additional reel strip of a respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel, each respective additional reel strip including a number of stop positions comprising a respective total number of stop positions from which the respective additional symbol location is populated, each stop position for the respective additional reel strip containing a respective game symbol available for populating the respective additional symbol location;

(b) each game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets correlates a respective probability with each stop position included on each respective additional reel strip, the respective probability correlated to a respective stop position included on the respective additional reel strip defining a probability for landing at the respective stop position included on the respective additional reel strip for an activation of the respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel; and

(c) the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

(i) under control of the system of one or more processing devices, apply the selected game symbol weighting set to randomly select a respective landing stop position for the activation of each respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel from among all of the number of stop positions included on the respective additional reel strip, and

(ii) under control of the system of one or more processing devices, activate each respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel to spin and then come to a stop at the respective landing stop position selected for the respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel to display at the gaming machine the respective game symbol contained on the respective additional reel strip at the respective landing stop position.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8 wherein:

(a) the selected game symbol weighting set includes a first set of stop position weightings which correlates the respective probability with each stop position on the first reel strip and for each additional reel strip a respective additional set of stop position weightings which correlates the respective probability with each stop position on the respective additional reel strip; and

(b) each additional set of stop position weightings is unequal to the first set of stop position weightings and is unequal to each other additional set of stop position weightings.

10. The gaming machine of claim 8 wherein the matrix of symbol locations includes at least two rows of symbol locations and two columns of symbol locations and wherein the first reel strip exclusively populates the first symbol location and each additional reel strip exclusively populates a different respective symbol location in the matrix of symbol locations.

11. The gaming machine of claim 7 wherein:

(a) the number of game symbol weighting sets includes at least one additional game symbol weighting set associated with a respective additional target symbol included in the universe of game symbols contained on the first reel strip and available for populating the at least first symbol location; and

(b) the probability defined by the respective additional game symbol weighting set for landing on the stop position containing the respective additional target symbol is relatively higher than the probability defined by each other game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets for landing on the stop position containing the respective additional target symbol.

12. The gaming machine of claim 7 wherein each of the number of game symbol weighting sets has approximately the same payout percentage.

13. A program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable data storage devices storing program code executable by at least one processor, the program code including:

(a) player input program code executable by the at least one processor to receive a game play input entered through a player input system of a gaming machine to initiate a play in a reel-type wagering game in which at least a first symbol location in a matrix of symbol locations is populated using a first reel strip of a first mechanical or video-generated reel, the first reel strip including a number of stop positions comprising a total number of stop positions from which the at least first symbol location is populated, each stop position containing a respective game symbol available for populating the at least first symbol location;

(b) weighting selection program code executable by the at least one processor to, for an activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel, randomly select a game symbol weighting set from a number of game symbol weighting sets stored in a data storage device, the random selection of the game symbol weighting set being performed under control of a system of one or more processing devices, wherein,

(i) each game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets correlates a respective probability with each stop position included on the first reel strip, the respective probability correlated to a respective stop position included on the first reel strip defining a probability for landing at the respective stop position included on the first reel strip for the activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel,

(ii) the number of game symbol weighting sets includes a first game symbol weighting set associated with a first target symbol included in a universe of game symbols contained on the first reel strip and available for populating the at least first symbol location,

(iii) the probability defined by the first game symbol weighting set for landing on the stop position containing the first target symbol is relatively higher than the probability defined by at least one other game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets for landing on the stop position containing the first target symbol; and

(c) game program code executable by the at least one processor to

(i) apply the selected game symbol weighting set to randomly select a landing stop position for the activation of the first mechanical or video-generated reel from among all of the number of stop positions included on the first reel strip, and

(ii) activate the first mechanical or video-generated reel to spin and then come to a stop at the landing stop position to display at the gaming machine the respective game symbol contained on the first reel strip at the landing stop position.

14. The program product of claim 13 wherein:

(a) at least one additional symbol location in the matrix of symbol locations is populated using a respective additional reel strip of a respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel, each respective additional reel strip including a number of stop positions comprising a respective total number of stop positions from which the respective additional symbol location is populated, each stop position for the respective additional reel containing a respective game symbol available for populating the respective additional symbol location;

(b) each game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets correlates a respective probability with each stop position included on each respective additional reel strip, the respective probability correlated to a respective stop position included on the respective additional reel strip defining a probability for landing at the respective stop position included on the respective additional reel strip for an activation of the respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel; and

(c) the game program code is also executable to:

(i) apply the selected game symbol weighting set to randomly select a respective landing stop position for the activation of each respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel from among all of the number of stop positions included on the respective additional reel strip, and

(ii) activate each respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel to spin and then come to a stop at the respective landing stop position selected for the respective additional mechanical or video-generated reel to display at the gaming machine the respective game symbol contained on the respective additional reel strip at the respective landing stop position.

15. The program product of claim 14 wherein:

(a) the selected game symbol weighting set includes a first set of stop position weightings which correlates the respective probability with each stop position on the first reel strip and for each additional reel strip a respective additional set of stop position weightings which correlates the respective probability with each stop position on the respective additional reel strip; and

(b) each additional set of stop position weightings is unequal to the first set of stop position weightings and is unequal to each other additional set of stop position weightings.

16. The program product of claim 14 wherein the matrix of symbol locations includes at least two rows of symbol locations and two columns of symbol locations and wherein the first reel strip exclusively populates the first symbol location and each additional reel strip exclusively populates a different respective symbol location in the matrix of symbol locations.

17. The program product of claim 13 wherein:

(a) the number of game symbol weighting sets includes at least one additional game symbol weighting set associated with a respective additional target symbol included in the universe of game symbols contained on the first reel strip and available for populating the at least first symbol location; and

(b) the probability defined by the respective additional game symbol weighting set for landing on the stop position containing the respective additional target symbol is relatively higher than the probability defined by each other game symbol weighting set included in the number of game symbol weighting sets for landing on the stop position containing the respective additional target symbol.

18. The program product of claim 13 wherein each of the number of game symbol weighting sets has approximately the same payout percentage.