Patent ID: 7883405

Claim:
A method of conducting an instant win game in combination with a base wagering game, comprising: receiving a base wagering game entry and a base wagering game wager from a player at a game terminal, which is operatively coupled to a host computer, the base wagering game entry comprising a first set of player selected or randomly generated game indicia as the player's entry into the base wagering game; receiving an instant win game wager from the player at the game terminal; storing a game theme indicator in a memory device at either the game terminal or the host computer; storing a plurality of instant win game outcome display themes that are unrelated to a theme of the base wagering game in a memory device at either the game terminal or the host computer; selecting one of the plurality of instant win game outcome display themes from the game theme indicator and pairing the selected instant win game outcome display theme with the theme of the base wagering game via the game terminal or host computer; varying the instant win game outcome display theme with respect to the theme of the base wagering game, via the game terminal or host computer, to provide different instant win game outcome display themes paired with the base wagering game theme to enhance game play; conducting the instant win game via the game terminal or host computer without use of the first set of game indicia that is used as the player's entry into the base game such that the instant win game indicia are different and distinct from the indicia used in the base game and correspond to the instant win game outcome display theme; separately generating a second set of game indicia via the game terminal or host computer that is different from the first set of game indicia, the second set of game indicia displaying an outcome of the instant win game such that the instant win game indicia are different and distinct from the indicia used in the base wagering game and correspond to the instant win game outcome display theme; the second set of game indicia, which is generated via the game terminal or host computer, unrelated to the theme of the base wagering game and being identifiable with one of the plurality of instant win game outcome display themes that is determined by the stored game theme indicator; and awarding the player an instant win game prize corresponding to the outcome of the instant win game via the game terminal.