Patent ID: 8801519

Claim:
A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: (a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display one or more plays of a wagering game, each play of the wagering game being playable upon a wager by a player, an amount of the wager being at least a minimum wager amount and at most a maximum wager amount; (b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a credit balance of the player after each play of the game; and (c) after each play of the wagering game and before a subsequent play of the wagering game: causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the player's credit balance is less than a designated wager amount, the designated wager amount being less than or equal to the maximum wager amount and greater than a lowest eligible amount, and thereafter, if it is determined that the player's credit balance is less than the designated wager amount, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to: (i) operate with the at least one display device to display an alternative wager proposition for the player that is separate from any wagers that can be made by the player on any plays of the wagering game, that is in addition to any wagers that can be made by the player on any plays of the wagering game, and that does not include any play of the wagering game, and operate with at least one input device to enable the player to accept the alternative wager proposition, wherein the alternative wager proposition, if accepted, requires the player to risk a first amount of the player's credit balance; and (ii) if the player accepts the alternative wager proposition: (A) separate from any plays of the wagering game, determine whether to provide an alternative award; (B) if the at least one processor determines to provide the alternative award, provide the alternative award such that the player is enabled to play the subsequent play of the wagering game at the designated wager amount; and (C) if the at least one processor determines not to provide the alternative award, reduce the player's credit balance by the first amount of the player's credit balance.