Methods and systems for electronic gaming

A method of operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a value input device, a player input device, and an electronic display device, the method comprising:

• detecting, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
• displaying a wagering game on the electronic display device, the wagering game including a symbol array and a plurality of possible symbols, the plurality of possible symbols including a plurality of standard symbols and a plurality of upgradable symbols, the plurality of upgradable symbols having a base state and an upgraded state;
• receiving, via the player input device, an input indicative of a wager amount selected from at least three different wager amounts, the selected wager amount being drawn from the credit balance, each wager amount of the at least three different wager amounts enabling the plurality of standard symbols, a respective first subset of the upgradable symbols in the base state, and a respective second subset of the upgradable symbols in the upgraded state, wherein the greater the wager amount the greater the number of the upgradable symbols in the second subset and the lesser the number of the upgradable symbols in the first subset;
• initiating, by a processor, the wagering game in response to the selected wager amount;
• populating the symbol array with symbols randomly selected from the symbols enabled by the selected wager amount;
• and
• awarding, by the processor, a payout for any winning combinations of the symbols populating the symbol array, the payout being higher for the winning combinations formed by the upgradable symbols while in the upgraded state than for the same winning combinations formed by the upgradable symbols in the base state, the payout being added to the credit balance.

A method of operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a value input device, a player input device, and an electronic display device, the method comprising:

• detecting, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
• displaying a wagering game on the electronic display device, the wagering game including a symbol array and a plurality of possible symbols, the plurality of possible symbols including a plurality of standard symbols and a plurality of upgradable symbols, each of the plurality of upgradable symbols having a base state and an upgraded state;
• receiving, via the player input device, an input indicative of a wager amount selected from a plurality of predetermined wager amounts ranging from a lower wager amount to a higher wager amount, each wager amount of the plurality corresponding to a different upgradable symbol of the plurality of upgradable symbols, the selected wager amount enabling the plurality of the possible symbols with the corresponding upgradable symbol in the upgraded state and any upgradable symbol corresponding to a lower wager amount in the upgraded state, any upgradable symbol corresponding to a higher wager amount being enabled in the base state;
• initiating, by a processor, the wagering game in response to the selected wager amount;
• populating the symbol array with symbols randomly selected from the plurality of possible symbols;
• and
• awarding, by the processor, a payout for any winning combinations of the symbols populating the symbol array;
• the payout being higher for the winning combinations formed by the upgradable symbols in the upgraded state than by the upgradable symbols in the base state, the payout being added to the credit balance.