Patent Publication Number: US-7722463-B2

Title: Gaming device having apparent and final awards

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
   This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/269,427, filed Oct. 11, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,278, the contents of which is incorporated herein. 

   CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present invention relates to the following co-pending commonly owned U.S. patent applications: “GAMING DEVICE HAVING AN AWARD EXCHANGE BONUS ROUND AND METHOD FOR REVEALING AWARD EXCHANGE POSSIBILITIES,” Ser. No. 09/689,510, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING AN IMPROVED OFFER/ACCEPTANCE BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 09/966,884, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/074,273, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING AN OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE SELECTION BONUS SCHEME WITH A TERMINATOR AND AN ANTI-TERMINATOR,” Ser. No. 10/644,447, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING A GAME WITH INCREMENTAL VALUE DISCLOSURE AND VALUE MODIFICATION,” Ser. No. 10/661,209. “GAMING DEVICE HAVING SEPARATELY CHANGEABLE VALUE AND MODIFIER BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/767,484, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING AN AWARD OFFER AND TERMINATION BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/810,146, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING VALUE SELECTION BONUS,” Ser. No. 10/803,410, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING A BONUS ROUND WITH MULTIPLE RANDOM AWARD GENERATION AND MULTIPLE RETURN/RISK SCENARIOS,” Ser. No. 10/865,713, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING OFFER/ACCEPTANCE ADVANCE THRESHOLD AND LIMIT BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/925,561, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING A DESTINATION PURSUIT BONUS SCHEME WITH ADVANCED AND SETBACK CONDITIONS,” Ser. No. 10/920,518, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED AWARD OFFER BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/937,664, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED AWARD OFFER BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/952,062, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING OFFER ACCEPTANCE GAME WITH TERMINATION LIMIT,” Ser. No. 10/971,980, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING TEASE REVEAL FEATURE,” Ser. No. 11/009,733, and “GAMING DEVICE HAVING RISK EVALUATION BONUS ROUND,” Ser. No. 11/041,801. 
   COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
   A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains or may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the photocopy reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure in exactly the form it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates in general to a gaming device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gaming device having player selectable awards. 
   Gaming devices provide enjoyment and excitement to players, in part, because they may ultimately lead to monetary awards for the players. Gaming devices also provide enjoyment and excitement to the players because they are fun to play. Secondary or bonus games, in particular, provide gaming device manufacturers with the opportunity to add enjoyment and excitement to that which is already expected from a primary or base game of the gaming device. Secondary or bonus games provide extra awards to the player and enable the player to play a game that is different than the primary or base game. 
   Gaming devices are typically games of luck, not skill. Primary games are set up to pay back a certain average percentage of the amount of money wagered. The average payout percentage in most primary games is set high enough that any player who plays a few hands or spins of the reels will win. That is, in most primary games, it is not too difficult to experience some level of success. Bonus games are typically set up for the player to succeed. The player usually wins an award in a bonus game. In bonus game play, the goal is often to maximize the possible award. 
   One known secondary game provides a player with a series of offers, where each offer includes a number of credits, coins, tokens or dollars. The player may accept or reject each offer prior to the final offer. The offers are randomly determined from a series of potential offers of differing values. If the player accepts an offer, the game provides the offer to the player. If the player rejects an offer, the gaming device provides another offer to the player, as long as the current offer is not the final offer. The player is automatically provided the final offer. This type of gaming device has achieved significant popularity in the gaming industry. 
   As part of a continuing need to provide gaming devices that issue primary game and secondary game awards in an exciting and enjoyable manner, it is desirable to have variability in game play as well as outcomes and potential payouts. This may be more or less possible depending on the type of machine and the desired winning percentage. It is therefore desirable to provide a primary or secondary game of a gaming device having relatively flat and predictable actual payouts, and which also has variable outcomes and varying levels of success. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a gaming device. More particularly, the present invention provides a processor controlled gaming device having a memory device storing a game program, wherein the processor operates with the game program to yield player selectable apparent awards. When the player selects one of the apparent awards, the gaming device changes the selected apparent award to a predetermined actual award and awards the actual award to the player. 
   In one embodiment, the gaming device includes a plurality of start values. The player selects one of the start values as part of a game sequence. During the game sequence, the gaming device increments the start value to an apparent award. In one embodiment, the gaming device enables the player to keep the apparent award or trade it for another apparent award. In one embodiment, the other apparent award is derived from one of the other start values. After one or more accept or reject or keep or trade sequences, the player achieves one of the apparent awards. The gaming device then performs a sequence in which the achieved or selected apparent award changes into an actual award. The gaming device provides the actual award to the player. 
   The gaming device provides a plurality of apparent awards. Each apparent award is derived through the game sequence from one of the plurality of start values. In one embodiment, the gaming device associates each start award/apparent award with an actual award. Each actual award is achievable by the player if the player selects the associated apparent award. The apparent award changes and in one embodiment increases to form the associated actual award. 
   In one embodiment, the player chooses the start value. In another embodiment, the processor randomly generates the start value. In one embodiment, the player through one or more accept or reject or keep or trade sequences chooses the apparent award and the associated actual award. In another embodiment, the processor randomly chooses one or more accept or reject or keep or trade sequences to determine the apparent value and the associated actual award. 
   The gaming device can provide none, one or any number of keep or trade sequences. Certain keep or trade sequences may offer the player a lower award in exchange. This is intended to entertain the player. 
   In one embodiment, the gaming device stores a number of pools or databases in a memory device accessible by the processor. One pool or database contains the start values. One pool or database contains the actual awards and one pool or database includes a set of incremental values. The processor of the gaming device randomly selects a number of start values and does not display them to the player. The player chooses one of the start values by picking one of a plurality of selections. The gaming device then sequentially increments the selected start value by randomly generating incremental values from the incremental value pool if the incremented start value falls below a threshold value. 
   In one embodiment, the threshold value is one of the generated actual awards less an offset. In one embodiment, the actual award used to determine the threshold value is the smallest generated actual award. In this way, each actual award is assured to be larger than each apparent award. In one embodiment, the memory device also stores an offset pool wherein the gaming device generates differing offset values. 
   In one embodiment, the gaming device continues to increment the player selected start value until the incremented start value meets or exceeds the threshold value. Also, the gaming device in one embodiment uses a likelihood percentage, which enables the start value to increment, such as seventy-five percent of the time. Thus, in one embodiment, the values increment until the threshold is reached or the percentage outcome dictates that the start value no longer increments. The player then receives the last properly incremented value as an apparent award. 
   The gaming device performs the above described incrementing procedure with the other start values. The gaming device may at various increments offer the player an option to trade the currently held apparent award for an incremented start value or for another apparent award. Eventually, the gaming device runs out of start values to increment and the player is left with one of the apparent awards. 
   In one embodiment, the gaming device changes and increases the apparent award to an actual award via an adjustment sequence. The adjustment sequence in one embodiment reveals the actual award associated with each apparent award. The player can thereby see which of the apparent awards the player should have chosen. It is likely that the apparent award that would have yielded the largest associated actual award is not in fact the largest apparent award. In one embodiment of the present invention, the player&#39;s success in establishing the apparent awards and the keep or trade options does not affect the player&#39;s success in obtaining the largest actual award, the outcome is completely random and unknown to the player. 
   It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide a gaming device that has variability in game play. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a gaming device that has variability in game outcomes. 
   Moreover, an advantage of the present invention is to provide a gaming device that has variability in apparent payouts. 
   Still further, an advantage of the present invention is to provide a gaming device that has non-predictable actual payouts. 
   Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the figures. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of alternative embodiments of the gaming device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of the electronic configuration of one embodiment of the gaming device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram generally illustrating the operation of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating a start value pool stored in a memory device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating an incremental value pool stored in a memory device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram illustrating an actual award pool stored in a memory device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating an equation used for incrementing values and an offset value pool stored in a memory device of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 8A to 8F  are elevation views of one of the display devices illustrating one keep or trade embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , gaming device  10   a  and gaming device  10   b  illustrate two possible cabinet styles and display arrangements and are collectively referred to herein as gaming device  10 . The present invention includes the game (described below) being a stand alone game or a bonus or secondary game that coordinates with a base game. When the game of the present invention is a bonus game, gaming device  10  in one base game is a slot machine having the controls, displays and features of a conventional slot machine, wherein the player operates the gaming device while standing or sitting. Gaming device  10  also includes being a pub-style or table-top game (not shown), which a player operates while sitting. 
   The base games of the gaming device  10  include slot, poker, blackjack and keno, among others. The gaming device  10  also embodies any bonus triggering events, bonus games as well as any progressive game coordinating with these base games. The symbols and indicia used for any of the base, bonus and progressive games include mechanical, electrical, electronic or video symbols and indicia. 
   In a stand alone or a bonus embodiment, the gaming device  10  includes monetary input devices.  FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate a coin slot  12  for coins or tokens and/or a payment acceptor  14  for cash money. The payment acceptor  14  also includes other devices for accepting payment, such as readers or validators for credit cards, debit cards or smart cards, tickets, notes, etc. When a player inserts money in gaming device  10 , a number of credits corresponding to the amount deposited is shown in a credit display  16 . After depositing the appropriate amount of money, a player can begin the game by pulling arm  18  or pushing play button  20 . Play button  20  can be any play activator used by the player which starts any game or sequence of events in the gaming device. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , gaming device  10  also includes a bet display  22  and a bet one button  24 . The player places a bet by pushing the bet one button  24 . The player can increase the bet by one credit each time the player pushes the bet one button  24 . When the player pushes the bet one button  24 , the number of credits shown in the credit display  16  decreases by one, and the number of credits shown in the bet display  22  increases by one. A player may “cash out” by pushing a cash out button  26  to receive coins or tokens in the coin payout tray  28  or other forms of payment, such as an amount printed on a ticket or credited to a credit card, debit card or smart card. Well known ticket printing and card reading machines (not illustrated) are commercially available. 
   Gaming device  10  also includes one or more display devices. The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A  includes a central display device  30 , and the alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 1B  includes a central display device  30  as well as an upper display device  32 . The display devices display any visual representation or exhibition, including but not limited to movement of physical objects such as mechanical reels and wheels, dynamic lighting and video images. The display device includes any viewing surface such as glass, a video monitor or screen, a liquid crystal display or any other static or dynamic display mechanism. In a video poker, blackjack or other card gaming machine embodiment, the display device includes displaying one or more cards. In a keno embodiment, the display device includes displaying numbers. 
   The slot machine base game of gaming device  10  displays a plurality of reels  34 , for example three to five reels  34 , in mechanical or video form on one or more of the display devices. Each reel  34  displays a plurality of indicia such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars or other images which correspond to a theme associated with the gaming device  10 . If the reels  34  are in video form, the display device displaying the video reels  34  is a video monitor in one embodiment. Each base game, especially in the slot machine base game of the gaming device  10 , includes speakers  36  for making sounds or playing music. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , one embodiment of an electronic configuration of the gaming device  10  for the stand alone and bonus embodiments described above includes: a processor  38 ; a memory device  40  for storing program code or other data; a central display device  30 ; an upper display device  32 ; a sound card  42 ; a plurality of speakers  36 ; and one or more input devices  44 . The processor  38  is in one embodiment a microprocessor or microcontroller-based platform which is capable of displaying images, symbols and other indicia such as images of people, characters, places, things and faces of cards. The memory device  40  includes random access memory (RAM)  46  for storing event data or other data generated or used during a particular game. The memory device  40  also includes read only memory (ROM)  48  for storing program code, which controls the gaming device  10  so that it plays a particular game in accordance with applicable game rules and pay tables. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the player uses the input devices  44  to input signals into gaming device  10 . In the slot machine base game, the input devices  44  include the pull arm  18 , play button  20 , the bet one button  24  and the cash out button  26 . A touch screen  50  and touch screen controller  52  are connected to a video controller  54  and processor  38 . The terms “computer” or “controller” are used herein to refer collectively to the processor  38 , the memory device  40 , the sound card  42 , the touch screen controller and the video controller  54 . 
   In certain instances, it is preferable to use a touch screen  50  and an associated touch screen controller  52  instead of a conventional video monitor display device. The touch screen enables a player to input decisions into the gaming device  10  by sending a discrete signal based on the area of the touch screen  50  that the player touches or presses. As further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the processor  38  connects to the coin slot  12  or payment acceptor  14 , whereby the processor  38  requires a player to deposit a certain amount of money in to start the game. 
   It should be appreciated that although a processor  38  and memory device  40  are preferable implementations of the present invention, the present invention also includes being implemented via one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC&#39;s), one or more hard-wired devices, or one or more mechanical devices (collectively or alternatively referred to herein as a “processor”). Furthermore, although the processor  38  and memory device  40  reside in one embodiment in each gaming device  10  unit, the present invention includes providing some or all of their functions at a central location such as a network server for communication to a playing station such as over a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet connection, microwave link, and the like. 
   With reference to the slot machine base game of  FIGS. 1A and 1B , to operate the gaming device  10 , the player inserts the appropriate amount of tokens or money in the coin slot  12  or the payment acceptor  14  and then pulls the arm  18  or pushes the play button  20 . The reels  34  then begin to spin. Eventually, the reels  34  come to a stop. As long as the player has credits remaining, the player can spin the reels  34  again. Depending upon where the reels  34  stop, the player may or may not win additional credits. 
   In addition to winning base game credits, the gaming device  10 , including any of the base games disclosed above, also includes bonus games that give players the opportunity to win credits. The gaming device  10  employs a video-based or mechanical display device  30  or  32  for the bonus games. The bonus games include a program that automatically begins when the player achieves a qualifying condition in the base game. 
   In the slot machine embodiment, the qualifying condition includes a particular symbol or symbol combination generated on a display device. As illustrated in the five reel slot game shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the qualifying condition includes the number seven appearing on, e.g., three adjacent reels  34  along a payline  56 . It should be appreciated that the present invention includes one or more paylines, such as payline  56 , wherein the paylines can be horizontal, diagonal or any combination thereof. An alternative scatter pay qualifying condition includes the number seven appearing on, e.g., three adjacent reels  34  but not necessarily along a payline  56 , appearing on any different set of reels  34  three times or appearing anywhere on the display device the necessary number of times. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a schematic diagram  100  generally illustrates the operation of the present invention. As indicated by the block  102 , the gaming device provides an interactive game sequence in which a player receives an apparent award. That is, the player plays the game sequence, makes one or more selections during the sequence and receives an apparent award from the sequence.  FIGS. 8A to 8E  show one preferred embodiment of the game sequence of the present invention, however, the present invention includes any game sequence having one or more selections wherein the selection(s) yields an apparent award for the player. Alternatively, the present invention includes a game sequence in which gaming device  10  having a random generation device, such as a processor, randomly generates an apparent award for the player. 
   As indicated by block  104 , at some point during the operation of the gaming device  10 , an actual award is selected for the player. In one embodiment, the player&#39;s actions in the interactive game sequence yield or select the actual award for the player. In other embodiments, a random generation device, such as a processor, of the gaming device  10  generates the actual award for the player. In the latter case, it is possible that the processor  38  preselects the actual award for the player before the player plays the interactive game sequence. 
   As indicated by block  106 , when the player has received an apparent award as indicated by block  102  and an actual award has been selected for the player as indicated by block  104 , gaming device  10  provides an adjustment sequence in which the apparent award is changed to the actual award. In one preferred embodiment, the actual award is greater than the apparent award so that the adjustment sequence increases the apparent award. However, in alternative embodiments, gaming device  10  may raise or lower the apparent award to achieve the actual award. The adjustment in one embodiment occurs on one of the display devices  30  or  32  and includes dynamic video and/or audio displays that increase the apparent award to the actual award either in increments or all at once. The changing of the apparent award corresponds to a theme of the gaming device in one embodiment. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a schematic illustration of an area of the memory device  40  is illustrated having a start pool  110 . The start pool  110  includes a plurality of start values  112 . The start values in this example range from five credits to forty credits. The start values  12  may have any suitable range desired by the gaming device implementor. Although the start pool  110  contains six start values  112 , the start pool  110  may include any suitable number of start values  112 . The start values  112  may represent a number of credits or may represent an award modifier such as a multiplier. Alternatively still, the start values  112  can represent a number of picks from a prize pool or any other suitable item of value or opportunity to obtain a value. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a schematic diagram of an area of the memory device  40  includes an increment pool  120  having a number of incremental values  122 . The incremental values  122  again may stand for gaming device credits or other types of awards and represent, in one embodiment, the same type of award as the start values  112  of the start pool  110 . Although the increment pool  120  contains eight incremental values  122 , the increment pool  120  can have any suitable number of incremental values  122  desired by the gaming device implementor. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a schematic diagram of an area of the memory device  40  includes an actual award pool  130 . The actual award pool  130  includes a number of actual awards  132 . The actual awards  132  may represent any suitable type of award including gaming device credits, however, the actual awards  132  represent the same type of item of value as the start values  112  and the incremental values  122 . The actual award pool  130  can include any suitable number of actual awards  132  and is not limited to the seven awards illustrated. The actual award pool  130  can include any suitable range of actual awards desired by the implementor. The range of actual awards is in one embodiment higher on average than the range of the start values  112 . The range of the increment pool  120  in one embodiment has an average value that enables any of the start values to be incremented by incremental values  122  several times before reaching one or more of the actual awards  132  of the actual award pool  130 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an area of the memory device  40  (or software instructions stored therein) includes an equation  140 . The equation  140  determines a threshold value  142  that the gaming device uses to determine whether to increment a start value  112  with one of the incremental values  122 . The equation  140  may take any suitable different form. In the illustrated embodiment, the equation  140  employs the smallest actual award  132  that the player could win less an offset value  152  to produce the threshold value  142 . 
     FIG. 7  also illustrates an offset pool  150 . The offset pool  150  includes a plurality of offset values  152 . The offset pool  150  can include any number of different offset values  152 . The offset values  152  may comprise any range desired by the implementor, however, the offset pool  150  includes values that when subtracted from the smallest actual award  132  of the actual award pool  130  enable at least some of the start values  112  of the start pool  110  to increment by at least some of the incremental values  122  before reaching the threshold value  142 . That is, taking the smallest illustrated actual award  132  of one hundred less the largest illustrated offset value  152  of fifty yields a threshold value  142  of fifty. In this case, any of the start values  112  of the illustrated start pool  110  could increment by at least some of the incremental values  122  of the increment pool  120  before reaching the threshold  142 . 
   In alternative embodiments, one or more of the pools previously illustrated may be replaced by a constant. For example, gaming device  10  can employ the same offset  152  in each trial, as illustrated below, instead of generating different offset values  152  from the offset pool  150 . Further alternatively, gaming device  10  could employ a constant threshold  142 . However, as will be illustrated, the threshold  142  depends on a select number of the actual awards  132  which can vary game sequence to game sequence. In other alternative embodiments, the start values  112  could be fixed instead of randomly chosen, as could the incremental values  122 . To provide some award variation, however, gaming device  10  changes, in one embodiment, the actual awards  132  in each game sequence. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8A through 8F , one embodiment of the operation of the gaming device  10  is illustrated. As stated above, the game sequence can include any type of player interactive sequence wherein the player selects an apparent award, and wherein the gaming device changes the apparent award to an actual award. Or, the interactive game sequence can randomly generate the apparent and/or actual award for the player. One point of the game sequence of the present invention is that the player plays for the apparent award, whereby the gaming device then switches the apparent award to an actual award which may have no relation to the player&#39;s luck in obtaining the apparent award. In this way, gaming device  10  can, as will be illustrated, present options to the player that are illogical yet make the player try to outthink or outguess the gaming device  10 . In essence, the player&#39;s relative success in achieving an apparent award in the game sequence does not predict the success that the player has in achieving the actual award. 
   In  FIGS. 8A to 8F , one preferred embodiment of the present invention is displayed on one of the display devices  30  or  32 . For purposes of illustration, indicia, numbers and words or letters that the player sees at a given point in time are illustrated by the display device  30  or  32 . Indicia, numbers and/or letters or words that the player does not see, but which are currently being processed or have recently been processed, are illustrated inside a cloud indicating an area of memory. 
     FIG. 8A  illustrates an initial screen that the player sees on one of the display devices  30  or  32 . A video and/or audio message  154  prompts the player to pick one of three selections  160  to start the game sequence of the present invention. The illustrated embodiment includes three selections  160 ; namely, the “A” selection, the “B” selection and the “C” selection. It should be appreciated however that the present invention may include any suitable number of selections, including one selection and includes at least two selections  160  in one embodiment. In one preferred embodiment, the selections  160  are separate areas of the touch screen  50  that send a discrete input to the processor  38 . In other embodiments, however, the selections  160  may be electromechanical pushbuttons that are mounted elsewhere on the cabinet of gaming device  10 . 
   At some point prior to or immediately following the player&#39;s choice of one of the selections  160 , the processor  38  in cooperation with one or more random generation devices randomly generates values from the start pool  110  and actual award pool  130 . Gaming device  10  does not display the random generations to the player, otherwise the player would choose the selection yielding the highest actual award  132 . In the illustrated screen of  FIG. 8A , the gaming device  10  has randomly selected the start values  112  of twenty, fifteen and thirty for selections “A”, “B” and “C” respectively. The gaming device  10  has randomly generated the actual awards  132  of one-hundred, five-hundred and three-hundred respectively for selections “A”, “B” and “C”. 
   In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming device  10  performs a series of increments or trials in which the game may change and, for example, increase a selected start value  112 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8B , in order to determine whether to increment the start value, gaming device  10  first randomly chooses one of the offset values  152  from an offset pool  150  in the memory device  40 . For the “A” selection  160 , gaming device  10  randomly generates an offset value  152  of twenty. The gaming device then determines a threshold value  142  by selecting the smallest of the actual awards  132  that the player could win, which in this case is the one-hundred value in association with the “A” selection  160 . The equation  140  subtracts the offset value  152  from the smallest actual award  132  to yield a threshold value  142  of eighty. Using the smallest of the actual awards  132  ensures that the incremented values will always be less than the smallest actual award  132 . This ensures that the player&#39;s apparent award will always be less than the actual award ultimately provided to the player. In a similar manner for the “B” selection  160 , gaming device  10  generates an offset value  152  of forty to create a threshold value  142  of sixty. For the “C” selection  160 , gaming device  10  generates an offset value  152  of thirty and threshold value  142  of seventy. 
   As will be illustrated, in order to increment the start value  112  for any of the selections  160 , two conditions must be met. First, the incremented value must be less than a threshold value  142  as will be illustrated below. Also, each selection  160  includes an associated likelihood of generation percentage  162  as seen in  FIG. 8A . The generation percentage  162  sets the likelihood that the incremented value, if less than the threshold, will be provided to the player. For example, if the start value  112  of twenty is incremented to a value less than the threshold  142 , there is, as seen in  FIG. 8A , a 75% chance for selection A that gaming device  10  provides the incremented value to the player. The “B” selection  160  has an associated 60% chance of incrementing the start value  112 . The “C” selection  160  has a 50%. chance of incrementing the start value  112 . 
   Gaming device  10  can set the percentages  162  at any desired amount and in any desired arrangement. That is, the percentages do not have to decrease from selection “A” to selection “C” as illustrated. The percentages  162  in an alternative embodiment may be randomly generated or may be the same for each selection  160 . Further alternatively, the game may not employ a percentage  162 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8C , when the player  166  selects one of the selections  160 , here, the “A” selection  160 , gaming device  10  reveals the start values  112  to the player. That is, gaming device  10  reveals that the player&#39;s choice of the selection  160  has resulted in a start value  112  of twenty. Further, the gaming device  10  informs the player that choosing selection “B” would have resulted in a start value  112  of fifteen, and that choosing selection “C” would have resulted in a start value  112  of thirty. The player therefore feels good at this point in the game because the player has chosen a selection  160  that has yielded the second largest start value  112 . 
     FIG. 8C  illustrates a number of trials or increments (Trials I to III) in memory  40 , which are hidden from the player except for the resulting incremented value  164  and the resulting apparent award  170 . In Trial I, gaming device  10  generates randomly an incremental value  122  of fifteen from the increment pool  120  and adds to it the start value  112  of twenty, which totals a possible incremented value  164  of thirty-five. Gaming device  10  compares the possible incremented value  164  with the threshold value  142  of eighty. Since the possible incremented value of thirty-five is less than eighty, gaming device  10  randomly generates whether to provide the possible incremented value to the player using the 75% chance percentage  162 . In this example, the gaming device generates that the player receives the incremented value  164  of thirty-five and indicates the same visually on display device  30  or  32  and/or audibly via speakers  36 . 
   In Trial II, gaming device  10  repeats the above sequence using an incremental value of  122  of forty. The gaming device adds the incremented value  164  of thirty-five to the incremental value  122  to produce a new possible incremented value of seventy-five. Since seventy-five is less than the threshold value  142  of eighty, gaming device  10  applies the 75% chance random determination. In this example, the gaming device again determines that the player receives the new incremented value  164  of seventy-five and displays the same visually on the display device  30  or  32  and/or audibly via speakers  36 . 
   Gaming device  10  in one preferred embodiment repeats this process until: (i) the possible incremented value exceeds the threshold value  142 ; or (ii) the game randomly determines, using the likelihood percentage  162 , not to provide the possible incremented value to the player. In Trial III, gaming device  10  randomly generates the twenty-five incremental value  122  from the increment pool  120  and adds the twenty-five to the incremented value  164  of seventy-five to yield a new potential incremented value of one-hundred. Because one-hundred is greater than the threshold value  142  of eighty, gaming device  10  provides a visual, audio or audiovisual message  168  to the player specifying that the player&#39;s apparent award  170  is the last properly incremented value of seventy-five. 
   In an alternative embodiment, gaming device  10  can increase the apparent award  170  to the associated actual award  132  (shown in  FIG. 8A ) of one hundred. In such a case the gaming device would increase the apparent award through a video or audiovisual sequence on the display device  30  or  32  and provide the actual award  132  to the player. Thereafter, the game sequence of the gaming device  10  would end. In one preferred embodiment, however, gaming device  10  includes one or more keep or trade sequences that provide the player with the opportunity to either keep the current apparent award  170  or trade the apparent award for another award or apparent award  170 . In the illustrated embodiment, gaming device  10  determines the awards or apparent awards with which to offer to the player by upgrading or incrementing the unselected start values  112  in the same manner as gaming device  10  has incremented the player&#39;s start value  112 . 
   In various alternative embodiments, gaming device  10  provides the keep or trade sequence during the incrementing of the selected start value towards the apparent award. Here, gaming device  10  can increment the selected start value after the player selects to keep or trade the selected start value. Further, gaming device  10  can increment one of the unselected start values after the player selects to keep or trade the selected start value. Still further, gaming device  10  can decrease the start value before or after the player selects to keep or trade the selected start value. Further, gaming device  10  can decrease one of the unselected start values before or after the player selects to keep or trade the selected start value. In any of the foregoing alternatives, the player can trade back for the originally selected start value or an incremented variation thereof, from a value for which the player has previously traded. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8B and 8D , in a first keep or trade sequence, gaming device  10  randomly selects a new offset value  152  of forty in an area of the memory device  40  as illustrated below the display device  30  or  32 . The gaming device uses the new offset value  152  to determine a new threshold value  142  via the equation  140  and the smallest actual award  132  of one hundred. The new threshold value  142  is calculated to be sixty. In an alternative embodiment, the threshold value  142  remains constant in the keep or trade sequence. After determining the new threshold value  142 , gaming device  10  provides a message  172  to the player informing the player that the current award is seventy-five and asks the player to keep or trade the value seventy-five for another value. 
     FIG. 8D  illustrates one embodiment, wherein the gaming device  10  enables the player to keep or trade the current apparent award  170  at various times while another start value  112  is being incremented.  FIG. 8D  illustrates that gaming device  10  enables the player to keep the apparent award  170  of seventy-five or trade it for the start value  112  of fifteen associated with the “B” selection  160 . The player  166  decides to keep the apparent award by selecting a keep button  174 . The gaming device provides a simulated keep button  174  and a simulated trade button  176 , which are separate areas of the touch screen  50  that send a discrete input to the processor  38  of the gaming device  10 . Alternatively, keep button  174  and trade button  176  are separate electromechanical pushbuttons that mount to an area of the cabinet of the gaming device  10 . 
   Upon keeping the apparent award  170 , gaming device  10  increments the start value  112  of fifteen to an incremented value of forty and offers the forty value in exchange for the apparent award  170 . Because the apparent award  170  of seventy-five is greater than the incremented value of forty, the player  166  decides to keep the apparent award  170  by selecting the keep button  174 . Gaming device  10  continues to increment the start value  112  associated with the selection “B” until one of the conditions described above is not met. The gaming device  10  again increases the start value  112  to fifty-five, and the player again keeps the apparent award  170  associated with the selection “A” because the apparent award  170  of “A” is larger than fifty-five. For reference,  FIG. 8D  continues to show the actual awards  132  in phantom as well as the percentages  162 . 
   It should be appreciated that the embodiment of the gaming device in  FIG. 8D  makes several illogical offers to the player. The player in the illustrated embodiment chooses to keep the higher obtained award. However, the player may be tempted to wonder why the gaming device  10  is offering a lower award and in fact trade for the lower award thinking that gaming device  10  may increase the award or otherwise provide a higher award than the player currently has. In fact, the actual award associated with the selection “A” is only one-hundred, while the actual award  132  associated with the selection “B” is five-hundred. Therefore the suspicious player who decides to trade for one of the lower incremented awards would in this example obtain a higher actual award  132 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8B and 8E , gaming device  10  performs the above described incrementing process for the “C” selection  160 . Gaming device  10  again determines a new offset value  152  in the memory device  40  and a new threshold value  142  of seventy in the memory device  40  as illustrated below the display device  30  or  32  in  FIG. 8B . Gaming device  10  determines the threshold value  142  according to the equation  140  and the smallest actual value  132  of one hundred. For reference, the actual awards  132  and the likelihood percentages  162  are illustrated in phantom. In the embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 8A to 8E , the percentages  162  decrease as the player proceeds through the game sequence. In one preferred embodiment, the percentages decrease as the game continues. Therefore, in one embodiment, the gaming device associates the percentages  162  with the order in which the gaming device  10  increments each of the selections  160 . That is, if the player were to initially choose the “B” selection  160 , gaming device  10  would initially employ the highest percentage  162  of seventy-five in association with the selection “B”. The gaming device  10  would associate the second largest percentage  162  with the second selection  160  and the lowest percentage  162  with the third selection  160 . 
   Gaming device  10  provides an audio or audiovisual message  178  that informs the player that the player&#39;s current award is still seventy-five.  FIG. 8E  illustrates an alternative keep or trade embodiment to  FIG. 8D , wherein gaming device  10  only provides the ultimate apparent award from the selection “C” to the player as a keep or trade option, rather than providing the option each time the start value  112  of the selection “C” is incremented. 
   In Trial I for “C”, gaming device  10  increments the start value  112  of thirty for the selection “C” a number of times using the method disclosed above. The gaming device generates an incremental value  122  of fifteen and adds the incremental value to the start value  112  of thirty to yield a potential incremented value of forty-five, which is less than the new threshold value  142  of seventy. The gaming device employs a 50% probability  162  and determines to provide the incremented value  164  of forty-five to the player. 
   In Trial II, the gaming device generates an incremental value  122  of five and adds it to the incremented value  164  of forty-five to yield a new potential incremented value of fifty, which is less than the threshold value of seventy. Gaming device  10  employs the probability  162  of fifty and again determines to provide the incremented award  164  of fifty to the player. 
   In Trial III for “C”, the gaming device generates a new incremental value  122  of ten and adds it to the currently incremented value  164  of fifty to yield a new potential incremented value of sixty, which is less than the threshold value of seventy. In this case, however, gaming device  10  employs the 50% probability  162  and randomly determines not to provide the potential incremented value of sixty to the player. Therefore, the apparent award  170  for the “C” selection  160  is fifty and is offered to the player in trade for the player&#39;s current award  170  of seventy-five. In this case, the player again decides to keep the current award by pressing the keep button  174  as illustrated. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8F , upon sequencing through each of the selections  160 , the player winds up with an apparent award  170  of seventy-five. Gaming device  10  also displays the apparent values associated with the selections  160  of “B” and “C”; namely, the apparent awards  170  of fifty-five and fifty respectively. At this point, the player feels good because the player has selected the highest apparent award  170 . 
   However, as illustrated in  FIG. 8F , gaming device  10  provides an audio or audiovisual message  180  that informs the player that due to unforeseen circumstances the apparent awards all increase. In one preferred embodiment, the apparent awards  170  change or increase to the actual awards  132  associated with the selections  160 . Gaming device  10  performs an adjustment sequence in which the apparent awards may be stepped up incrementally to the actual awards or the actual awards  132  may be displayed at once. For purposes of illustration,  FIG. 8F  simply shows the actual awards for each of the selections  160 . 
   The player&#39;s apparent award of seventy-five increases to an actual award  132  of one-hundred. The player is happy to receive more credits, however, the apparent award  170  of fifty-five associated with the selection “B” increases to five-hundred and the apparent award of fifty associated with the selection “C” increased to three-hundred. If the player had traded the apparent award associated with the selection “A” for either of the apparent awards associated with the selections “B” or “C”, even though these apparent awards were less than the apparent award associated with selection “A”, the player would have ultimately received a higher actual award  132 . 
   The actual awards  132  are randomly associated with the apparent awards  170  in one embodiment. In the above example, the smallest apparent award fifty-five was associated with the largest actual award, five hundred. The largest apparent award seventy-five was associated with the smallest actual award, one hundred. These values were chosen to illustrate the illogical results of the present invention. The reverse association could have instead randomly taken place, namely, wherein the smallest apparent award is associated with the smallest actual award and the largest apparent award is associated with the largest actual award. The intermediate apparent award could be randomly associated with the largest or smallest actual award. The randomness of the game will add to the illogical results of the game. The game is thus completely random, and does not introduce any element of player skill. 
   It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.