Patent ID: 7731584

Claim:
A gaming device operable under control of a processor, the gaming device comprising: at least one input device; at least one display device; and at least one memory device configured to store: (i) data representing: (a) a primary game controllable by the processor and operable upon a wager by a player; (b) a plurality of primary game symbols in the primary game; (c) a plurality of different primary game winning symbol combinations in the primary game; (d) a plurality of different primary game awards associated with the primary game winning symbol combinations in the primary game; (e) at least one triggering condition reachable in the primary game; (f) a secondary game controllable by the processor and operable upon an occurrence of the triggering condition in a play of the primary game, the secondary game being different than the primary game; (g) a plurality of secondary game outcomes associated with the secondary game; (h) a plurality of secondary game awards associated with the secondary game outcomes; and (i) at least one free play condition reachable in the secondary game, the free play condition associated with at least one of a plurality of different quantities of free plays which are usable in the primary game, each one of the different quantities of free plays being greater than one; and (ii) a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to: (a) receive an input associated with the wager from the at least one input device; (b) start the primary game; (c) determine one of the primary game awards in response to one of the primary game winning symbol combinations being generated; (d) start the secondary game in response to an occurrence of the triggering condition; (e) generate in the secondary game one of the secondary game outcomes independent of any skill by the player; (f) determine the secondary game award associated with the generated secondary game outcome; (g) cause the processor to select one of the plurality of different quantities of free plays that can be selected when the secondary game award is determined, the selected quantity of free plays being based on the generated secondary game outcome; (h) generate a total quantity of free plays in the primary game by adding the selected quantity of free plays with any remaining free plays in the primary game which were not previously used; (i) indicate the total quantity of free plays on the at least one display device; (j) restart the primary game; and (k) operate the total quantity of free plays in the primary game.