Patent ID: 8523647

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one display device; at least one input device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to, for each play of a first game: (a) receive a wager from a player; (b) generate and display an outcome for said play of the first game; (c) determine any awards based on said outcome; (d) provide any determined awards; (e) upon an occurrence of an accumulation event, accumulate a quantity of free passes usable in a second different type of game; and (f) upon an occurrence of a second game trigger, provide a play of the second different type of game and, for said play of the second different type of game: (1) display a matrix including a plurality of designated spaces; (2) for each of the plurality of designated spaces of the matrix, assign one of a plurality of different trivia topics to said designated space; (3) display the respective assigned trivia topics in association with the designated spaces of said matrix; (4) enable the player to select one of the plurality of designated spaces; (5) after the player selects one of the designated spaces, randomly select a trivia question associated with the trivia topic associated with the selected designated space; (6) display a plurality of possible answers to said randomly selected trivia question in association with a display of said randomly selected trivia question; (7) enable the player to use one of any accumulated free passes in place of a correct answer to said randomly selected trivia question; and (8) provide the player with a monetary award if one of: (a) the player provides the correct answer to said randomly selected trivia question, and (b) the player uses the free pass in place of the correct answer to said randomly selected trivia question.