Gaming device having a varied wild symbol in a bonus game

Abstract

A gaming device randomly selects one of the symbols or cards displayed in the final state of a game to be a wild symbol or card. The game can be any game where one symbol may be able to substitute for any other symbol to increase the chance of obtaining a winning combination or a better winning combination. The present invention increases player excitement because the wild symbol will be a symbol already displayed in the game. In a preferred embodiment, the wild symbol is displayed after the game has been completed so that the player may root for or anticipate a particular wild symbol. The present invention also includes the methods of operating such a gaming device.

The invention is claimed as follows:  
     
         1 . A gaming device comprising: 
 a plurality of symbols;    a game including a random generation and display of a set of symbols from said plurality of symbols;    at least one winning combination of symbols; and    a processor operable to randomly select one of the displayed symbols in the randomly generated set of displayed symbols, cause a wild symbol to substitute for said displayed symbol, determine if any winning combinations of symbols occurred, and provide an award to a player upon the occurrence of any winning combination of symbols.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the wild symbol substitutes for any of the plurality of displayed symbols.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein every occurrence of the selected symbol is substituted with a wild symbol.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the wild symbol is displayed to the player in a wild symbol display controlled by the processor after the set of symbols is displayed to the player.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the wild symbol is displayed to the player in a wild symbol display after the set of symbols and a set of possible wild symbols are displayed to the player.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor selects the wild symbol upon the occurrence of a qualifying condition in the game.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the game is a bonus game played upon the occurrence of a qualifying condition in a base game.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the game is a slot-type game.  
     
     
         9 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the game is a card based game.  
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a gaming device, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) randomly generating and displaying a set of symbols from a plurality of symbols;    (b) selecting one of the symbols from the set of displayed symbols and causing a wild symbol to substitute for said symbol;    (c) determining the occurrence of one or more winning combinations of displayed symbols including the wild symbol; and    (d) providing an award to a player based on the occurrence, if any, of a winning combinations of displayed symbols including the wild symbol.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , which includes the step of operating the method through a data network.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data network is an internet.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , which including causing the wild symbol to substitute for every occurrence of the selected symbol in the set.  
     
     
         14 . A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) randomly generating and displaying a plurality of symbols and causing one of the generated symbols from said plurality of displayed symbols to be a wild symbol;    (b) determining any occurrence of a winning combination of displayed symbols including any symbol which is caused to be a wild symbol; and    (c) providing an award based on the occurrence, if any, of a winning combination of displayed symbols including any symbol which is caused to be a wild symbol.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , which includes the step of operating the method through a data network.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data network is an internet.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , which includes causing each occurrence of the symbol which is caused to be a wild symbol to be a wild symbol.