Gaming system and method for providing awards based on accumulating symbols over a predefined quantity of games played

1. A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor for a symbol accumulation sequence comprising a predefined quantity of plays of a game, cause the processor to:

for each of a plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:

for each of a plurality of symbol display positions, responsive to a displayed symbol being a designated symbol and less than a predefined quantity of designated symbols being previously accumulated in association with that symbol display position, accumulate the displayed designated symbol in association with that symbol display position,

for each of the plurality of symbol display positions, responsive to the displayed symbol being the designated symbol and the predefined quantity of designated symbols being previously accumulated in association with that symbol display position, not accumulate the displayed designated symbol in association with that symbol display position,

determine any award for that non-designated play of the game, and

cause a display, by the display device, of any determined award for that non-designated play of the game, wherein which of the plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence are non-designated plays of the game are predetermined prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence,

responsive to a first quantity of designated symbols being accumulated in association with the plurality of symbol display positions for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, associate a first additional award opportunity with a designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, and

responsive to a second, different quantity of designated symbols being accumulated in association with the plurality of symbol display positions for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, associate a second, different additional award opportunity with the designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the predefined quantity of designated symbols comprises one designated symbol.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first additional award opportunity comprises a first modification of a parameter of the designated play of the game and the second, different additional award opportunity comprises a second, different modification of the parameter of the designated play of the game.

4. The gaming system of claim 3 , wherein the first modification of the parameter of the designated play of the game comprises a first quantity of wild symbols displayed, by the display device, at a first quantity of the symbol display position for the designated play of the game and the second, different modification of the parameter of the designated play of the game comprises a second, different quantity of wild symbols displayed, by the display device, at a second, different quantity of the symbol display position for the designated play of the game.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first additional award opportunity comprises a modification of a first parameter of the designated play of the game and the second, different additional award opportunity comprises a modification of a second, different parameter of the designated play of the game.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first additional award opportunity is associated with a first average expected payout and the second, different additional award opportunity is associated with a second, different average expected payout.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to disassociate any accumulated designated symbols from any symbol display positions after the designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence and the designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence are each associated with a first wager amount.

9. The gaming system of claim 1 , further comprising an acceptor, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, modify a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

10. A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor for a symbol accumulation sequence comprising a predefined quantity of plays of a game, cause the processor to:

for each of a plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:

for each of a plurality of symbol display positions, responsive to a displayed symbol being a designated symbol and less than a predefined quantity of designated symbols being previously accumulated in association with that symbol display position, accumulate the displayed designated symbol in association with that symbol display position,

for each of the plurality of symbol display positions, responsive to the displayed symbol being the designated symbol and the predefined quantity of designated symbols being previously accumulated in association with that symbol display position, not accumulate the displayed designated symbol in association with that symbol display position,

determine any award for that non-designated play of the game, and

cause a display, by the display device, of any determined award for that non-designated play of the game, wherein which of the plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence are non-designated plays of the game are predetermined prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence,

responsive to a first quantity of designated symbols being accumulated in association with the plurality of symbol display positions for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:

determine a first award, wherein the first award is in addition to any award determined in association with a designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, and

cause a display, by the display device, of the determined first award, and

responsive to a second, different quantity of designated symbols being accumulated in association with the plurality of symbol display positions for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:

determine a second, different award, wherein the second, different award is in addition to any award determined in association with the designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, and

cause a display, by the display device, of the determined second, different award.

11. The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the first award is associated with a first average expected value and the second, different award is associated with a second, different average expected value.

12. The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the predefined quantity of designated symbols comprises one designated symbol.

13. A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor for a symbol accumulation sequence comprising a predefined quantity of plays of a game, cause the processor to:

for each of a plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:

for each of a plurality of symbol display positions, responsive to a displayed symbol being a designated symbol and no designated symbol being previously accumulated in association with that symbol display position, accumulate the displayed designated symbol in association with that symbol display position,

for each of the plurality of symbol display positions, responsive to the displayed symbol being the designated symbol and another designated symbol being previously accumulated in association with that symbol display position, not accumulate the displayed designated symbol in association with that symbol display position,

determine any award for that non-designated play of the game, and

cause a display, by the display device, of any determined award for that non-designated play of the game, wherein which of the plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence are non-designated plays of the game are predetermined prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, and

for a designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:

responsive to at least a first quantity of designated symbols being accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, modify a parameter of the designated play of the game,

determine any award for the designated play of the game, the determination being based on the modified parameter of the designated play of the game, and

cause a display, by the display device, of any determined award for the designated play of the game, wherein which play of the game is the designated play of the game is predetermined prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence.

14. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein the first quantity of designated symbols includes one designated symbol.

15. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to modify a parameter of the designated play of the game by displaying a wild symbol at each symbol display position associated with an accumulation of a designated symbol.

16. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to disassociate any accumulated designated symbols from any symbol display positions after the designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence.

17. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein the modified parameter of the designated play of the game comprises a play of an additional award opportunity.

18. The gaming system of claim 17 , wherein the first quantity of designated symbols being accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence is associated with a first average expected payout of the additional award opportunity and a second, greater quantity of designated symbols being accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence is associated with a second, greater average expected payout of the additional award opportunity.

19. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence and the designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence are each associated with a first wager amount.

20. The gaming system of claim 13 , further comprising an acceptor, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.