Patent ID: 8562427

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a central controller configured to operate with a plurality of gaming devices, each of the gaming devices including at least one processor; at least one display device; at least one input device; 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 enable a player to play a game, wherein the central controller is configured to, for each of the gaming devices, operate with said gaming device to: (a) enable a player of said gaming device to pay a fee in addition to any wagers to participate in premium play for a quantity of plays of the game of said gaming device; (b) if the player does not pay the fee, for each play of said game of said quantity of plays: (i) determine and display a game outcome for said play of said game, and (ii) determine and provide any award associated with said determined game outcome; and (c) if the player pays the fee: (i) allocate at least a portion of said fee to a premium award pool; and (ii) for each play of said game in said quantity of plays: (A) determine and display a game outcome for said play of said game; (B) determine any award associated with said determined game outcome; and (C) if an award associated with said determined game outcome was determined: (1) provide the determined award; (2) if an amount of the determined award is less than a threshold award amount, allocate an amount equal to at least part of said determined award to the premium award pool; and (3) if an amount of the determined award is greater than the threshold award amount, provide at least part of the premium award pool to said player.