Patent ID: 8545313

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including at least one input device; at least one display device associated with at least one of said gaming devices; and at least one controller configured to operate with each of said gaming devices and said at least one display device to: (a) when an individual bonus game triggering event occurs in association with a first one of the gaming devices associated with a first paytable: (i) enable a player of said first gaming device to select any one of: (A) a play of a first individual bonus game having a first average expected payout, (B) a play of a community game having a first feature, wherein the play of the community game having the first feature has the first average expected payout, and (C) a deferral of the play of the community game having the first feature, wherein the deferral of the play of the community game having the first feature has a first theoretical value within a predefined range of the first average expected payout, (ii) display any selected play of the first individual bonus game and any selected play of the community game having the first feature, and (iii) if the player of said first gaming device selected the deferral of the play of the community game having the first feature, enable the player to selectively play the deferred play of the community game having the first feature; and (b) when the individual bonus game triggering event occurs in association with a second, different one of the gaming devices associated with a second, different paytable: (i) enable a player of said second gaming device to select any one of: (A) a play of a second individual bonus game having a second average expected payout, said second average expected payout being different than the first average expected payout, (B) a play of the community game having a second feature, wherein the second feature is different than the first feature and the play of the community game having the second feature has the second average expected payout, and (C) a deferral of the play of the community game having the second feature, wherein the deferral of the play of the community game having the second feature has a second theoretical value within a predefined range of the second average expected payout, (ii) display any selected play of the second individual bonus game and any selected play of the community game having the second feature, and (iii) if the player of said second gaming device selected the deferral of the play of the community game having the second feature, enable the player to selectively play the deferred play of the community game having the second feature.