Method and apparatus for providing a prize based on variable accumulation rates

A system of visually notifying one of a plurality of prizes being redeemable based on reward points accumulated during play of a plurality of games on a plurality of gaming devices, the system comprising:

• an electronic video display operable to display a plurality of visual prize identifiers associated with the plurality of prizes, and a plurality of visual prize level thresholds associated with the plurality of visual prize identifiers including a first visual prize identifier having a first balance and a second visual prize identifier having a second balance, wherein the first balance and the second balance indicate eligibilities to redeem a first prize and a second prize of the plurality of prizes associated with the first visual prize identifier and the second visual prize identifier, respectively;
• and
• a game controller comprising a processor and memory, the memory storing a plurality of instructions, which, when executed, cause the game controller to initiate at least one of the plurality of games, the plurality of visual prize identifiers having a plurality of accumulation rates, respectively, wherein a first accumulation rate of the plurality of accumulation rates is different from a second accumulation rate of the plurality of accumulation rates, and cause the electronic video display to display a plurality of reward points being accumulated based on a predefined criterion during play of at least one of the plurality of games, and the first balance associated with the first visual prize identifier being visually accrued to a different first balance based on the plurality of reward points accumulated at the first accumulation rate, and concurrently the second balance associated with the second visual prize identifier being visually accrued to a different second balance based on the plurality of reward points accumulated at the second accumulation rate that is different from the first accumulation rate, the first prize associated with the first visual prize identifier being unlocked to become a player selectable prize interactively selectable when the different first balance reaches a first visual prize level threshold associated with the first visual prize identifier, and the first visual prize identifier being visually resized when the first balance exceeds the first visual prize level threshold;
• and
• an interface interactively operable to receive a player selection based on the first prize associated with the first visual prize identifier when the first balance reaches the first visual prize level threshold associated with the first visual prize identifier.

A gaming machine for visually notifying one of a plurality of prizes being redeemable during play of a plurality of games, the gaming machine comprising:

• an electronic video display operable to display a plurality of visual prize identifiers associated with the plurality of prizes including a first visual prize identifier having a first balance and a second visual prize identifier having a second balance, wherein the first balance and the second balance indicate eligibilities to redeem a first prize and a second prize of the plurality of prizes associated with the first visual prize identifier and the second visual prize identifier, respectively, and a plurality of visual prize level thresholds associated with the plurality of visual prize identifiers;
• a game controller comprising a processor and memory, the memory storing a plurality of instructions, which, when executed, cause the game controller to initiate at least one of the plurality of games, the plurality of visual prize identifiers having a plurality of accumulation rates, respectively, wherein a first accumulation rate of the plurality of accumulation rates is different from a second accumulation rate of the plurality of accumulation rates, cause the electronic video display to display a plurality of reward points being accumulated based on a predefined criterion during play of at least one of the plurality of games, and the first balance associated with the first visual prize identifier being visually accrued to a different first balance based on the plurality of reward points accumulated at the first accumulation rate, and concurrently the second balance associated with the second visual prize identifier being visually accrued to a different second balance based on the plurality of reward points accumulated at the second accumulation rate that is different from the first accumulation rate, and the first visual prize identifier being visually resized when the first balance exceeds a first visual prize level threshold;
• and
• an interface interactively operable to receive a player selection based on the first prize associated with the first visual prize identifier when the first balance reaches the first visual prize level threshold associated with the first visual prize identifier.