Patent ID: 8668579

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one display device; at least one input device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores 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: (a) at a first point in time, display a first non-numerical indication of a first status of when a designated award will be provided, wherein a determination of the first status of when the designated award will be provided is based on a first relationship of the first point in time to a reference time point in time; (b) at a second, subsequent point in time, display a second, different non-numerical indication of a second, different status of when the designated award will be provided, wherein a determination of the second status of when the designated award will be provided is based on a relationship of the second point in time to the reference time point in time; and (c) at a third, subsequent point in time which has a predetermined relationship to the reference point in time, provide the designated award, wherein the designated award is guaranteed to be provided at the third point in time, a determination to provide the designated award is independent on any randomly generated outcome for any play of any wagering game and at, at least the third point in time, the designated award has a value greater than zero.