Patent ID: 8777749

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one gaming machine adapted to conduct a base game according to a predefined set of game rules for at least one player comprising: a game processor including a random number generator, said random number generator adapted to generate a random number used, at least in part, to generate an outcome for said base game; an input device in communication with said game processor; a gaming machine communication device in communication with said game processor; and a bonus display in communication with said game processor, said bonus display adapted to display a plurality of bonus award indicia associated with one or more bonus awards; and an award server separate from said game processor and operating independently from said game processor, said award server being in communication with said bonus display and said award server being the sole source of bonus award indicia for display on said bonus display, wherein said award server and game processor execute program instructions to (a) receive player input including non-wagering data through said input device and communicate said player input from said game processor to said award server, (b) dynamically select by said award server at least one bonus award indicia for display at said bonus display, wherein said at least one bonus award indicia selected for display at said bonus display is selected by said award server at least partially in response to said player input and is changeable by said award server in response to changes in said player input, (c) display said at least one bonus award indicia received from said award server at said bonus display, and (d) select at least one bonus award indicium by said game processor from among the bonus award indicia displayed on said bonus display in response to a trigger and issue the bonus award associated with the selected bonus award indicium.