Patent ID: 8105157

Claim:
A method of operating a gaming system through a data network, for each individual gaming session of a plurality of gaming sessions, said method comprising: (a) causing a processor to execute a plurality of instructions to initially associate a first rate of earning reward points with a player for said individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, wherein said individual gaming session includes a plurality of plays of a game and the first rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session is based on at least one player activity associated with at least one of the plays of the game during a first portion of a period of time associated with said gaming session; (b) causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any reward points based, at least in part, on the first rate of earning reward points during the first portion, said determination being without regard to any outcomes generated for any of the plays of the game; (c) causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether the player qualifies for a second rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session; (d) if the player qualifies for the second rate of earning reward points, causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate the second rate of earning reward points with the player, wherein: (i) the second rate of earning reward points is based on at least one player activity associated with at least one of the plays of the game during a second portion of the period of time associated with said gaming session, and (ii) the second portion occurs after the first portion; (e) causing at least one display device to display any earned reward points for said individual gaming session; and (f) providing to the player any earned reward points for said individual gaming session.