Gaming system and method providing free plays of a game with increasing quantities of paylines

A gaming system comprising:

• a housing comprising an access door,
• a security monitoring circuit supported by the housing and configured to monitor the access door;
• a power distribution component supported by the housing;
• a plurality of output devices comprising a display device supported by the housing, a player tracking display supported by the housing, and a speaker supported by the housing;
• a sound card supported by the housing and operable with the speaker;
• a plurality of input devices comprising a payment device supported by the housing, a touch screen input device supported by the housing and operable with the display device, a wagering input device supported by the housing, and a cashout input device supported by the housing;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• cause a display, via the display device, of a first play of a game of a sequence, the first play of the game comprising:
• a first random determination, via at least one of a random number generator and a pseudo-random number generator, of a first plurality of symbols of a plurality of reels,
• a first display, via the display device, of the first plurality of randomly determined symbols of the plurality of reels at a plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels, and
• a first determination of a first award for the displayed first plurality of symbols based on a first quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations associated with the symbol display positions for the first play of the game, wherein the first quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations comprises a base quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations and a randomly determined first quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations, and wherein the randomly determined first quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations is determined independent of the first plurality of randomly determined symbols displayed at the plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels;
• cause a first display, via the display device, of the first award for the first play of the game;
• cause a display, via the display device, of a second play of the game of the sequence, the second play of the game comprising:
• a second random determination, via at least one of the random number generator and the pseudo-random number generator, of a second plurality of symbols of the plurality of reels,
• a second display, via the display device, of the second plurality of randomly determined symbols of the plurality of reels at the plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels, and
• a second determination of a second award for the displayed second plurality of symbols based on a second quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations associated with the symbol display positions for the second play of the game, wherein the second quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations comprises the base quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations, the randomly determined first quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations, and the randomly determined second quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations, and wherein the randomly determined second quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations is determined independent of the second plurality of randomly determined symbols displayed at the plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels;
• cause a second display, via the display device, of the second award for the second play of the game;
• cause a display, via the display device, of a third play of the game of the sequence, the third play of the game comprising:
• a third random determination, via at least one of the random number generator and the pseudo-random number generator, of a third plurality of symbols of the plurality of reels,
• a third display, via the display device, of the third plurality of randomly determined symbols of the plurality of reels at the plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels,
• a third determination of a third award for the displayed third plurality of symbols based on a third quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations associated with the symbol display positions for the third play of the game, wherein the third quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations comprises the base quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations, the randomly determined first quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations, the randomly determined second quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations, and the randomly determined third quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations, and wherein the randomly determined third quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations is determined independent of the third plurality of randomly determined symbols displayed at the plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels;
• and
• cause a third display, via the display device, of the third award for the third play of the game.

A gaming system comprising:

• a housing comprising an access door;
• a security monitoring circuit supported by the housing and configured to monitor the access door;
• a power distribution component supported by the housing;
• a plurality of output devices comprising a display device supported by the housing, a player tracking display supported by the housing, and a speaker supported by the housing;
• a sound card supported by the housing and operable with the speaker;
• a plurality of input devices comprising a payment device supported by the housing, a touch screen input device supported by the housing and operable with the display device, a wagering input device supported by the housing, and a cashout input device supported by the housing;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• for each of a plurality of plays of a game of a sequence:
• cause a display, via the display device, of a plurality different possible quantities of additional ways to win symbol evaluations for the play of the game before determining one of those different possible quantities of additional ways to win symbol evaluations for the play of the game,
• randomly determine, via at least one of a random number generator and a pseudo-random number generator, a plurality of symbols of a plurality of reels,
• cause a display, via the display device, of the plurality of randomly determined symbols of the plurality of reels at a plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels,
• determine any award for the displayed plurality of symbols based on a quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations associated with the symbol display positions for that play of the game, wherein the quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations is greater than a previous quantity of ways to win symbol evaluations for a previous play of the game of the sequence by a determined one of the displayed possible quantities of additional ways to win symbol evaluations, and wherein the determined quantity of additional ways to win symbol evaluations is randomly determined independent of the plurality of randomly determined symbols displayed at the plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels, and
• cause a display, via the display device, of any determined award for that play of the game,
• wherein for at least two plays of the game of the game sequence, the respective plurality of different possible quantities of additional ways to win.