Method, apparatus, and program product for providing alternative win opportunities with wild symbols in a wagering game

1. A method including:

(a) receiving a play input through a player input system of a gaming machine, the play input initiating a play in a game presented through the gaming machine;

(b) in the play in the game, controlling a display system of the gaming machine to populate at least some game symbol locations of an array of game symbol locations to thereby produce a populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game, each of the at least some game symbol locations being populated with a respective game symbol selected from a set of game symbols, the set of game symbols including a wild symbol, wherein each of a number of different sets of multiple symbol locations in the array of game symbol locations is defined as a respective winning pattern of symbol locations in the game, and wherein each winning pattern of symbol locations will result in a respective pattern win when populated with winning game symbols defined for the game from the set of game symbols;

(c) through a processing device associated with the gaming machine, determining a noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the game based on detecting whether each wild symbol in the array will contribute to a pattern win, the noncontributing wild symbol value comprising a count of each wild symbol appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game which is not included in any pattern win;

(d) through the processing device associated with the gaming machine, comparing the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the game to one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the game, each of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions correlating to a respective noncontributing wild symbol prize; and

(e) when the noncontributing wild symbol value matches one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions, awarding through the gaming machine the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlated to the matched one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

2. The method of claim 1 further including maintaining a first progressive prize tier for the game and wherein the first progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a first one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

3. The method of claim 2 further including maintaining a second progressive prize tier for the game and wherein the second progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a second one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

4. The method of claim 1 further including maintaining a number of progressive prize tiers for the game and wherein each respective progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a respective one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

5. The method of claim 1 further including controlling the display system to modify a graphic appearance of one or more wild symbols appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game which are not included in any pattern win.

6. A reel-type gaming machine including:

(a) a display system;

(b) a player input system;

(c) at least one processor; and

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

(i) initiate a play in a game presented through the gaming machine in response to a play input entered through the player input system;

(ii) control the display system to populate at least some game symbol locations of an array of game symbol locations to thereby produce a populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game, each of the at least some game symbol locations being populated with a respective game symbol selected from a set of game symbols, the set of game symbols including a wild symbol, wherein each of a number of different sets of multiple symbol locations in the array of game symbol locations is defined as a respective winning pattern of symbol locations in the game, and wherein each winning pattern of symbol locations will result in a respective pattern win when populated with winning game symbols defined for the game from the set of game symbols;

(iii) determine a noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the game based on detecting whether each wild symbol in the array will contribute to a pattern win, the noncontributing wild symbol value comprising a count of each wild symbol appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game which is not included in any pattern win;

(iv) compare the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the game to one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the game, each of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions correlating to a respective noncontributing wild symbol prize; and

(v) when the noncontributing wild symbol value matches one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions, award the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlated to the matched one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

7. The reel-type gaming machine of claim 6 wherein a first progressive prize tier is maintained for the game and wherein the first progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a first one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

8. The reel-type gaming machine of claim 7 wherein a second progressive prize tier is maintained for the game and wherein the second progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a second one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

9. The reel-type gaming machine of claim 6 wherein a number of progressive prize tiers are maintained for the game and wherein each respective progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a respective one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

10. The reel-type gaming machine of claim 6 wherein the instructions are also executable to control the display system to modify a graphic appearance of one or more wild symbols appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game which are not included in any pattern win.

11. A program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable data storage devices storing program code, the program code including:

(a) player input program code executable by 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 game at the gaming machine;

(b) game program code executable by the at least one processor to, in the play in the game, cause a display system of the gaming machine to populate at least some game symbol locations of an array of game symbol locations to thereby produce a populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game, each of the at least some game symbol locations being populated with a respective game symbol selected from a set of game symbols, the set of game symbols including a wild symbol, wherein each of a number of different sets of multiple symbol locations in the array of game symbol locations is defined as a respective winning pattern of symbol locations in the game, and wherein each winning pattern of symbol locations will result in a respective pattern win when populated with winning game symbols defined for the game from the set of game symbols; and

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

(i) determine a noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the game based on detecting whether each wild symbol in the array will contribute to a pattern win, the noncontributing wild symbol value comprising a count of each wild symbol appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game which is not included in any pattern win;

(ii) compare the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the game to one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the game, each of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions correlating to a respective noncontributing wild symbol prize; and

(iii) when the noncontributing wild symbol value matches one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions, award the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlated to the matched one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

12. The program product of claim 11 further including progressive game program code executable by the at least one processor to maintain a first progressive prize tier for the game and wherein the first progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a first one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

13. The program product of claim 12 wherein the progressive game program code is also executable by the at least one processor to maintain a second progressive prize tier for the game and wherein the second progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a second one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

14. The program product of claim 11 further including progressive game program code executable by the at least one processor to maintain a number of progressive prize tiers for the game and wherein each respective progressive prize tier comprises the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize correlating to a respective one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.

15. The program product of claim 11 wherein the game program code is also executable to cause the display system to modify a graphic appearance of one or more wild symbols appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the game which are not included in any pattern win.

16. The method of claim 5 , in which populating at least some game symbol locations of the array of game symbol locations is done in a sequence in which columns of game symbols are introduced one at a time, and in which modifying the graphic appearance of one or more wild symbols which are not included in any pattern win is performed for at least one wild symbol before the sequence is complete.

17. The reel-type gaming machine of claim 10 , in which populating at least some game symbol locations of the array of game symbol locations is done in a sequence in which columns of game symbols are introduced one at a time, and in which modifying the graphic appearance of one or more wild symbols which are not included in any pattern win is performed for at least one wild symbol before the sequence is complete.

18. The program product of claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to populate the at least some game symbol locations of the array of game symbol locations in a sequence in which columns of game symbols are introduced one at a time, and wherein modifying the graphic appearance of one or more wild symbols which are not included in any pattern win is performed for at least one wild symbol before the sequence is complete.