Gaming system and method providing a wagering game with a bonus hands feature

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

• initiating a play of a wagering game responsive to receipt of a game-initiation input via an input device;
• receiving by an acceptor a physical item associated with a monetary value;
• generating a credit balance based on receipt of the physical item by the acceptor;
• decreasing the credit balance by an amount of a wager placed associated with the game-initiation input;
• causing a processor to randomly determine a plurality of cards from a primary set of cards to form an initial hand of cards;
• causing a display device to display the initial hand of cards;
• causing the processor to determine if one of a plurality of different bonus hands triggering events of a bonus hands paytable occurred based on the initial hand of cards, wherein the bonus hands paytable comprises different predetermined quantities of bonus hands for the different bonus hands triggering events and a bonus hands multiplier for a subset of the plurality of different bonus hands triggering events;
• in response to determining that one of the plurality of different bonus hands triggering events occurred:
• determining a quantity of bonus hands to add to the play of the wagering game based on the predetermined quantity of bonus hands associated with that bonus hands triggering event of the initial hand of cards;
• determining if that bonus hands triggering event is associated with the bonus hands multiplier of the bonus hands paytable;
• responsive to that bonus hands triggering event being associated with the bonus hands multiplier, randomly determining a multiplier value and applying that multiplier value to determine an additional quantity of bonus hands to add to the play of the wagering game;
• and
• causing the display device to display bonus hands corresponding to the determined quantity of bonus hands and any determined additional quantity of bonus hands;
• for each card included in the initial hand of cards, enabling input of a hold input;
• in response to detecting a hold input for a respective card in the initial hand of cards:
• designating the respective card a held card of a primary hand;
• duplicating the respective card to each of the bonus hands;
• and
• causing the display device to display the duplicated card face-up in each of the bonus hands;
• in response to detecting a draw input, designating each card in the initial hand of cards for which the hold input is not received as a non-held card;
• completing the primary hand by, for each card in the initial hand of cards designated as a non-held card:
• randomly selecting a card from the primary set of cards excluding cards designated as held cards;
• adding the randomly selected card to the primary hand;
• and
• causing the display device to display the added card;
• for each of the bonus hands included in the play of the wagering game, completing the bonus hand;
• determining any first award based on the primary hand of cards and a paytable;
• determining any second awards based on each of the bonus hands and the paytable;
• causing the display device to display the first award and the second awards;
• causing an increase in the credit balance by an amount associated with the displayed first award and second awards;
• and
• in response to detecting a cashout input, initiating a payout associated with the credit balance, the payout comprising an electronic funds transfer.