Method of modifying a primary game of an existing legacy gaming machine to include secondary game features

1. A modified gaming machine comprising:

a plurality of gaming machine peripheral devices including at least one electronic video display and at least one player input device;

a main game controller configured to implement a primary wagering game based upon a primary wager placed by a player of said gaming machine using said at least one player input device, said main game controller transmitting primary wagering game information to said at least one electronic video display for display and configured to award a primary award based upon a winning outcome of said primary wagering game as defined by a paytable of one or more winning outcomes and associated awards; and

a secondary hardware controller added to the gaming machine to modify the gaming machine to present secondary gaming functionality, the secondary hardware controller interposed between one or more of said plurality of gaming machine peripheral devices and said main game controller, said secondary hardware controller configured to implement a secondary wagering opportunity upon said primary wagering game based upon a secondary wager placed by said player using said at least one player input device, said secondary hardware controller configured to award a secondary award based upon at least one designated outcome of said primary wagering game.

2. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said secondary award which is awarded by said secondary hardware controller comprises a multiple of said primary award awarded via said main game controller.

3. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said primary wagering game comprises a game of video poker and said secondary wager comprises a wager that said game of video poker will result in a winning outcome as defined by said paytable.

4. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said secondary hardware controller modifies said primary wagering game information transmitted by said main game controller to cause said at least one electronic video display to display primary wagering game information and secondary wagering information.

5. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 4 wherein said secondary wagering information comprises information regarding said secondary wager and any secondary award.

6. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said designated outcome comprises an event which does not comprise a winning outcome as defined by said paytable.

7. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said secondary hardware controller is interposed between said main game controller and said at least one electronic video display in a manner which permits that secondary hardware controller to receive said primary wagering game information which is transmitted from said main game controller to said at least one electronic video display.

8. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 7 wherein said secondary hardware controller cannot transmit information to said main game controller.

9. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said primary and secondary wagers comprise wagers of one or more monetary value credits.

10. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said secondary hardware controller comprises a processor, a memory and a communication interface.

11. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a main gaming machine housing which supports said plurality of gaming machine peripheral devices and wherein said main game controller and said secondary hardware controller are housed within said gaming machine housing.

12. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein

secondary hardware controller receives signals from the main game controller indicative of primary wagering game play and implements the secondary wagering opportunity based upon placement of the secondary payment wager by said player and based upon the primary wagering game play.

13. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said plurality of gaming machine peripheral devices comprises a monetary value input device, said secondary hardware controller interposed along a communication path between said monetary value input device and said main game controller, said secondary hardware controller configured to generate a secondary credit balance from at least part of funds received by said monetary value input device based upon an output of said monetary value input device to said communication path, said secondary wager placed from said secondary credit balance, said secondary hardware controller configured to, at one or more times, forward information regarding funds received by said monetary credit balance to said main game controller for association with a primary credit balance maintained by said main game controller from which said primary wager is placed.

14. The modified gaming machine in accordance with claim 13 , wherein an amount of funds which is associated with said secondary credit balance and an amount of funds which is associated with said main game controller is selected by said player based upon player input.

15. A method of facilitating a secondary wagering opportunity at a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving input of a primary wager from a player of said gaming machine at a main game controller of said gaming machine to participate in a primary wagering game;

receiving input of a secondary wager from a player of said gaming machine at a secondary hardware controller associated with said gaming machine to participate in a secondary wagering opportunity, said secondary hardware controller added to said gaming machine to present secondary wagering opportunity;

utilizing said main game controller of said gaming machine to present said primary wagering game;

displaying primary wagering game information via at least one electronic video display of said gaming machine;

determining an outcome of said primary wagering game;

utilizing said main game controller to award a primary award if said outcome of said primary wagering game is determined to be a winning outcome;

utilizing said secondary hardware controller to determine an outcome of said secondary wagering opportunity based upon said primary wagering game presented by said main game controller; and

utilizing said secondary hardware controller to award a secondary award if said outcome of said secondary wagering opportunity is determined to be a winning outcome.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said secondary hardware controller receives one or more outputs from said main game controller regarding said primary wagering game.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said primary wagering game comprises a video poker game.

18. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said secondary award comprises a multiple of said primary award.

19. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said secondary wagering opportunity is a winning outcome if said primary wagering game outcome is winning.

20. The method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising the step of said secondary hardware controller causing said at least one electronic video display to display information regarding said secondary wagering opportunity.

21. The method in accordance with claim 20 wherein said secondary hardware controller intercepts primary wagering game information which is output by said main game controller and created a modified output which causes said at least one electronic video display to display both primary wagering game information and secondary wagering opportunity information.

22. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said primary award is determined by a paytable and said secondary award comprises a multiple of the paytable award.

23. The method in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising receiving signals at said secondary hardware controller from the main game controller indicative of primary wagering game play and implementing the secondary wagering opportunity based upon placement of the secondary payment wager by said player and based upon the primary wagering game play.