Patent ID: 7585222

Claim:
A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: a display device controlled by the processor; a game controlled by the processor and adapted to be displayed by the display device, said game operable upon a wager by a player; a plurality of different outcomes in the game, the outcomes including: (a) a plurality of winning outcomes, each winning outcome associated with one of a plurality of awards, one of the awards provided to the player for each winning outcome, (b) a plurality of losing outcomes, (c) at least one designated outcome that includes a predetermined number of symbols arranged in predetermined positions, and (d) at least one near miss outcome associated with said designated outcome, wherein the near miss outcome includes all but one of the symbols of the designated outcome arranged in the predetermined positions necessary to form the designated outcome; a designated award provided to the player according to a paytable if a play of the game results in the designated outcome; and a near miss award provided to the player if the play of the game generates the near miss outcome, wherein at least a portion of the near miss award is provided by or funded by a near miss insurance pool associated with the near miss outcome and is independent from the paytable.