Patent ID: 8668572

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving a wager amount from a player of a gaming device; causing at least one display device to display to the player that the player is entitled to a bonus payout, in which the bonus payout is in addition to any primary game payouts; thereafter, causing the at least one display device to display a plurality of spins of a plurality of reels of a primary game of the gaming device, wherein the plurality of spins occur within a single session played by the player and wherein each spin of the plurality of spins results in a display of at least one primary game symbol of a plurality of different primary game symbols; after each spin of the plurality of spins, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine a numerical value of the bonus payout based on any displayed designated primary game symbols, in which the determined numerical value of the bonus payout is greater than zero; after each spin of the plurality of spins, causing the at least one display device to display a representation of the determined numerical value of the bonus payout without indicating to the player the determined numerical value of the bonus payout, wherein if one of the displayed symbols is a first designated symbol, said first designated symbol causes an increase in the determined numerical value of the bonus payout and causes a change in the representation of the determined numerical value of the bonus payout to indicate the increase in the determined numerical value of the bonus payout without indicating to the player the amount of increase in the determined numerical value of the bonus payout, and wherein if another one of the displayed symbols is a second designated symbol, said second designated symbol causes a decrease in the determined numerical value of the bonus payout and causes a change in the representation of the determined numerical value of the bonus payout to indicate the decrease in the determined numerical value of the bonus payout without indicating to the player the amount of decrease in the determined numerical value of the bonus payout; after all of the spins of the plurality of spins, causing the at least one display device to display the determined numerical value of the bonus payout; and after all of the spins of the plurality of spins, causing the determined numerical value of the bonus payout to be provided.