Patent ID: 8790175

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a wager input device for receiving a primary wager from a player to initiate a gaming session, the player associated with a player account; at least one display for displaying a primary wagering game and a secondary wagering game, wherein outcomes of the secondary wagering game are randomly determined and independent of the primary wagering game; and a controller operative to: (i) cause the at least one display to display a first instance of a randomly selected outcome of the primary wagering game during the gaming session; (ii) upon the occurrence of a first triggering event during the gaming session, enter a player into the secondary wagering game for a first period of time, wherein the player is represented in the secondary wagering game by a player avatar associated with the player account such that the player is a passive participant in the secondary wagering game; (iii) cause the at least one display to display one or more additional instances of randomly selected outcomes of the primary wagering game during the first period of time and during the gaming session, the one or more additional instances not altering the secondary game; (iv) terminate the player's play of the primary wagering game and the gaming session, the terminating including cashing out the player's gaming session; (v) upon the occurrence of a second triggering event after the terminating in step (iv), end the player's participation in the secondary wagering game; (vi) award the player any awards collected by the player avatar in the secondary wagering game; and (vii) credit the player account by the amount of the collected awards.