Gaming system with event substitution feature

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the steps comprising:

• triggering, by one or more controllers, an occurrence of a community event in which at least a first gaming machine of a plurality of gaming machines, but not a second gaming machine of the plurality of the gaming machines, is selected to participate, the second gaming machine being different than the first gaming machine;
• conducting the community event with at least the first gaming machine, but not the second gaming machine, participating;
• while the community event is being conducted with at least the first gaming machine, but not the second gaming machine, participating, triggering, by at least one of one or more controllers, another occurrence of the community event in which at least the second gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines is selected to participate;
• determining, by at least one of the one or more controllers, that the second gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines cannot participate in the community event because the community event is already in progress;
• and
• in response to the second gaming machine not being able to participate in the community event already in progress, awarding, by at least one of the one or more controllers, an award to the second gaming machine instead of allowing entry in the community event already in progress.

A gaming system for conducting a community event, comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines for displaying respective wagering games, the plurality of gaming machines including a first gaming machine and a second gaming machine, the first gaming machine being different than the second gaming machine;
• and
• at least one controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines and operative to
• trigger an occurrence of the community event in which at least the first gaming machine, but not the second gaming machine, is selected to participate;
• conduct the community event with at least the first gaming machine, but not the second gaming machine, participating;
• while the community event is being conducted with at least the first gaming machine, but not the second gaming machine, participating, trigger another occurrence of the community event in which at least the second gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines is selected to participate;
• determine that the second gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines cannot participate in the community event because the community event is already in progress;
• and
• in response to the second gaming machine not being able to participate in the community event already in progress, award an award to the second gaming machine instead of allowing entry in the community event already in progress.