Patent ID: 8851973

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a user device comprising: a user device processor; a user device display; and a user device memory in communication with said user device processor, said user device memory configured to store program instructions executable by said user device processor to display an outcome of a game application at said user device display, wherein said outcome of said game application may include an escrow award which is displayed at said user device without issuing said escrow award at said user device; an award server in communication with said user device comprising: an award server processor; and an award server memory in communication with said award server processor, said award server memory configured to store program instructions executable by said award server processor to receive an escrow award from said user device and store said escrow award in association with a player identifier; and at least one gaming device in communication with said award server, said at least one gaming device separate from said award server and operating independently from said award server, comprising: a gaming device processor including a random number generator, said random number generator configured to generate a random number used, at least in part, to generate an outcome for a gambling game; a gaming device interface in communication with said gaming device processor; an escrow display in communication with said gaming device processor; and a gaming device memory in communication with said gaming device processor configured to store at least one escrow award trigger and program instructions executable by said gaming device processor to conduct the steps of: receiving said escrow award from said award server; displaying said escrow award on said escrow display; receiving a wager on said gambling game through said gaming device interface; conducting said gambling game including randomly selecting an outcome for said gambling game by said gaming device processor; resolving said wager by said gaming device processor based on said outcome of said gambling game; determining by said gaming device processor whether said at least one escrow award trigger has occurred; and issuing said escrow award at said at least one gaming device when said at least one escrow award trigger occurs.