Method and apparatus for providing a bonus to a player based on a credit balance

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to:

(a) determine an amount of a credit balance,

(b) if the determined amount of the credit balance is at least a first amount:

(i) enable a first wager amount to be placed on a first play of a game, and

(ii) if the first wager amount is placed:

(A) reduce the determined amount of the credit balance by the first wager amount, and

(B) for the first play of the game:

 (I) randomly determine a first game outcome,

 (II) display the randomly determined first game outcome,

 (III) determine, based on a paytable associated with the first wager amount, any first game award associated with the randomly determined first game outcome, and

 (IV) display any determined first game award, said credit balance being increasable based on any determined first game award, and

(c) if the determined amount of the credit balance is less than the first amount and a condition is satisfied:

(i) distinct from any cashout input, determine whether to display a second play of the game,

(ii) if the determination is to display the second play of the game, for the second play of the game:

(A) reduce the credit balance by the determined amount of the credit balance,

(B) randomly determine a second game outcome,

(C) display the randomly determined second game outcome,

(D) determine, based on the paytable associated with the first wager amount, any second game award associated with the randomly determined second game outcome, and

(E) display any determined second game award, said credit balance being increasable based on any determined second game award, and

(iii) if the determination is to not display the second play of the game, reduce the credit balance by the determined amount of the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first amount is a historical value associated with the credit balance.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first amount is a threshold amount.

4. The gaming system of claim 3 , wherein the threshold amount is a maximum wager amount of the first play of the game.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the condition is satisfied in response to at least one player input following a display of an indication associated with the credit balance.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the determined amount of the credit balance, the first wager amount placed on the first play of the game, any determined first game award and any determined second game award is at least one selected from the group consisting of: a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , which includes a housing, and a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including an acceptor, and a cashout device, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the plurality of input devices to: if a physical item is received via the acceptor, modify the credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

8. A gaming system server comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) determine an amount of a credit balance,

(b) if the determined amount of the credit balance is at least a first amount:

(i) enable a first wager amount to be placed on a first play of a game, and

(ii) if the first wager amount is placed:

(A) reduce the determined amount of the credit balance by the first wager amount, and

(B) for the first play of the game:

 (I) randomly determine a first game outcome,

 (II) cause at least one display device to display the randomly determined first game outcome,

 (III) determine, based on a paytable associated with the first wager amount, any first game award associated with the randomly determined first game outcome, and

 (IV) cause the at least one display device to display any determined first game award, said credit balance being increasable based on any determined first game award, and

(c) if the determined amount of the credit balance is less than the first amount and a condition is satisfied:

(i) distinct from any cashout input, determine whether to display a second play of the game,

(ii) if the determination is to display the second play of the game, for the second play of the game:

(A) reduce the credit balance by the determined amount of the credit balance,

(B) randomly determine a second game outcome,

(C) cause the at least one display device to display the randomly determined second game outcome,

(D) determine, based on the paytable associated with the first wager amount, any second game award associated with the randomly determined second game outcome, and

(E) cause the at least one display device to display any determined second game award, said credit balance being increasable based on any determined second game award, and

(iii) if the determination is to not display the second play of the game, reduce the credit balance by the determined amount of the credit balance.

9. The gaming system server of claim 8 , wherein the first amount is a historical value associated with the credit balance.

10. The gaming system server of claim 8 , wherein the first amount is a threshold amount.

11. The gaming system server of claim 10 , wherein the threshold amount is a maximum wager amount of the first play of the game.

12. The gaming system server of claim 8 , wherein the condition is satisfied in response to at least one player input following a display of an indication associated with the credit balance.

13. The gaming system server of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the determined amount of the credit balance, the first wager amount placed on the first play of the game, any determined first game award and any determined second game award is at least one selected from the group consisting of: a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

14. gaming system server of claim 8 , wherein the credit balance is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

15. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine an amount of a credit balance,

(b) if the determined amount of the credit balance is at least a first amount:

(i) enabling a first wager amount to be placed on a first play of a game, and

(ii) if the first wager amount is placed:

(A) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the determined amount of the credit balance by the first wager amount, and

(B) for the first play of the game:

(I) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine a first game outcome,

(II) causing at least one display device to display the randomly determined first game outcome,

(III) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine, based on a paytable associated with the first wager amount, any first game award associated with the randomly determined first game outcome, and

(IV) causing the at least one display device to display any determined first game award, said credit balance being increasable based on any determined first game award, and

(c) if the determined amount of the credit balance is less than the first amount and a condition is satisfied:

(i) distinct from any cashout input, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether to display a second play of the game,

(ii) if the determination is to display the second play of the game, for the second play of the game:

(A) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the credit balance by the determined amount of the credit balance,

(B) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine a second game outcome,

(C) causing the at least one display device to display the randomly determined second game outcome,

(D) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine, based on the paytable associated with the first wager amount, any second game award associated with the randomly determined second game outcome, and

(E) causing the at least one display device to display any determined second game award, said credit balance being increasable based on any determined second game award, and

(iii) if the determination is to not display the second play of the game, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the credit balance by the determined amount of the credit balance.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first amount is a historical value associated with the credit balance.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first amount is a threshold amount.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the threshold amount is a maximum wager amount of the first play of the game.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the condition is satisfied in response to at least one player input following a display of an indication associated with the credit balance.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the determined amount of the credit balance, the first wager amount placed on the first play of the game, any determined first game award and any determined second game award is at least one selected from the group consisting of: a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the credit balance is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

22. The method of claim 15 , which is operated through a data network.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the data network is an internet.