Gaming system and method for providing dynamic paytable awards

Abstract

Gaming systems and methods which utilize one or more persistent supplemental awards to dynamically modify or otherwise alter one or more awards associated with one or more game outcomes of a paytable.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 prior to a first play of a game, communicate data that results in a display, by a display device, of:
 a plurality of ranked game outcomes comprising a first ranked game outcome and a second ranked game outcome having a higher ranking than the first ranked game outcome, and 
 a supplemental award currently associated with one of the ranked game outcomes, and 
 
 responsive to an occurrence of a modification event in association with the first play of the game:
 disassociate the supplemental award from being currently associated with the one of the ranked game outcomes, and 
 associate the supplemental award with another one of the ranked game outcomes for a second play of the game. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the modification event occurs responsive to a game outcome determined for the first play of the game comprising the one of the ranked game outcomes currently associated with the supplemental award. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein the one of the ranked game outcomes currently associated with the supplemental award comprises the first ranked game outcome and the other one of the ranked game outcomes for the second play of the game comprises the second ranked game outcome. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein the one of the ranked game outcomes currently associated with the supplemental award comprises the second ranked game outcome and the other one of the ranked game outcomes for the second play of the game comprises the first ranked game outcome. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the occurrence of the modification event, the instructions cause the processor to modify an amount of the supplemental award. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the modification event occurs responsive to a game outcome determined for the first play of the game comprising any of the ranked game outcomes different from the one ranked game outcome currently associated with the supplemental award. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the modification event occurs responsive to a game outcome determined for the first play of the game comprising a losing game outcome. 
     
     
         8 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 prior to a first play of a game, communicate data that results in a display, by a display device, of:
 a plurality of ranked game outcomes comprising a first ranked game outcome and a second ranked game outcome having a higher ranking than the first ranked game outcome, and 
 a persistent supplemental award associated with one of the ranked game outcomes, and 
 
 responsive to an occurrence of a persistent supplemental award association event, associate another persistent supplemental award with another one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes. 
   
     
     
         9 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein the persistent supplemental award association event occurs responsive to the persistent supplemental award being associated with a ranked game outcome having a highest ranking. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein the persistent supplemental award association event occurs responsive to the persistent supplemental award being associated with any ranked game outcome excluding the ranked game outcome having a lowest ranking. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein the persistent supplemental award association event occurs responsive to a game outcome determined for the first play of the game comprising the one of the ranked game outcomes associated with the supplemental award for the first play of the game. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein the persistent supplemental award association event occurs responsive to the persistent supplemental award being disassociated from the one of the ranked game outcomes and associated with another of the ranked game outcomes. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to an occurrence of a persistent supplemental award reset event, the instructions cause the processor to remove at least one of the persistent supplemental awards from being associated with at least one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming system of  claim 13 , wherein the persistent supplemental award reset event occurs responsive to a game outcome determined for the first play of the game comprising any game outcome excluding a losing game outcome. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming system of  claim 13 , wherein the persistent supplemental award reset event occurs responsive to a game outcome determined for the first play of the game comprising any ranked game outcome associated with any persistent supplemental awards. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming system of  claim 15 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to remove the persistent supplemental award from being associated with the ranked game outcome determined for the first play of the game. 
     
     
         17 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 during a first period of time, communicate data that results in a display, by a display device, of a first paytable associated with a first play of a game, the first paytable comprising a plurality of ranked game outcomes, a persistent supplemental award dynamically associated with a first one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes and a first additional award associated with the first one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes, 
 during a second period of time after a first occurrence of a modification event, communicate data that results in a display, by the display device, of a second paytable associated with a second play of the game, the second paytable comprising the plurality of ranked game outcomes, the persistent supplemental award dynamically associated with the first one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes, and a second, different additional award associated with the first one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes, and 
 during a third period of time after a second occurrence of the modification event, communicate data that results in a display, by the display device, of a third paytable associated with a third play of the game, the third paytable comprising the plurality of ranked game outcomes, the persistent supplemental award dynamically associated with a second, different one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes, the second, different additional award associated with the first one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes, and a third additional award associated with the second, different one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes. 
   
     
     
         18 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the first one of the plurality of ranked game outcomes comprises a highest ranked game outcome. 
     
     
         19 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein when executed by the processor during a fourth period of time after an occurrence of a persistent supplemental award reset event, the instructions cause the processor to communicate data that results in a display, by the display device, of the first paytable associated with a fourth play of the game. 
     
     
         20 . The gaming system of  claim 19 , wherein the persistent supplemental award reset event occurs responsive to a determined game outcome comprising any ranked game outcome excluding a losing game outcome.