GAMING DEVICE HAVING A SELECTIVELY ACCESSIBLE BONUS SCHEME

摘要

A gaming device having a bonus scheme, wherein the player may choose when to play a bonus scheme, so long as the player is qualified to do so. The method of qualifying the player to enter the bonus round connects or links the base game operation of the gaming device with the bonus scheme. The reels of the base game contain symbols which alone or in combination with other symbols yield one or more bonus awards to a player. The bonus awards are escrowed and displayed a bonus award escrow display. Once the player obtains a single bonus award, the player becomes eligible or qualified to play the bonus round and the player may choose to do so at any time. The player can accumulate bonus awards and use multiple bonus awards at one time.

主权项

1. A gaming system comprising:
a housing; at least one display device supported by the housing; a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including:
(i) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value,(ii) a validator configured to identify the physical item, and(iii) a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance; and a controller configured to operate with the at least one display device and the plurality of input devices to:
(a) for each of at least one play of a primary game:
(i) receive, via at least one of the plurality of input devices, one of a plurality of different wager amounts on said play of the primary game,(ii) randomly determine, via the controller, a primary game outcome,(iii) display, via the at least one display device, the randomly determined primary game outcome,(iv) determine, via the controller, any primary game award associated with the displayed primary game outcome,(v) display, via the at least one display device, any determined primary game award associated with the displayed primary game outcome,(vi) determine, via the controller, whether to accumulate any bonus award symbols, and(vii) if the determination is to accumulate any bonus award symbols, accumulate, via the controller, at least one bonus award symbol, wherein:
(A) a first quantity of accumulated bonus award symbols is associated with an availability of a first selectively accessible random bonus award determination, said first random bonus award determination having a first predetermined average expected payout, and(B) a second, different quantity of accumulated bonus award symbols is associated with an availability of a second, different selectively accessible random bonus award determination, said second, different random bonus award determination having a second, different predetermined average expected payout.