Patent ID: 8317589

Claim:
A gaming apparatus comprising: a display device; an input device; a processor; and a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to: (a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game; (b) display said play of the primary game; (c) determine a primary game outcome for said play of the primary game and provide to the player any awards associated with the determined primary game outcome; (d) enable the player to purchase at least one advantage associated with a bonus game, regardless of whether a bonus game triggering event occurs, said bonus game having an average expected payout; (e) determine whether the bonus game triggering event occurs; and (f) if the bonus game triggering event occurs: (i) if the player purchased said at least one advantage: (A) enable the player to choose whether to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game; (B) if the player chooses to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game, display at least one play of the bonus game with said at least one purchased advantage; and (C) if the player chooses not to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game, display at least one play of the bonus game without said at least one advantage; and (ii) if the player did not purchase said at least one advantage, display at least one play of the bonus game without said at least one advantage, wherein the average expected payout of the at least one play of the bonus game with the at least one purchased advantage is greater than the average expected payout of the bonus game without said at least one advantage.