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,
• a first determination of a first award for the displayed first plurality of symbols based on a first multiplier and a first quantity of paylines associated with the symbol display positions for the first play of the game, wherein the first quantity of paylines comprises a base quantity of paylines and a randomly determined first quantity of additional paylines, and wherein the randomly determined first quantity of additional paylines 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, and
• 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,
• a second determination of a second award for the displayed second plurality of symbols based on a second multiplier that is greater than the first multiplier and on a second quantity of paylines associated with the symbol display positions for the second play of the game, wherein the second quantity of paylines comprises the base quantity of paylines, the randomly determined first quantity of additional paylines, and the randomly determined second quantity of additional paylines, and wherein the randomly determined second quantity of additional paylines 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, and
• cause a second display, via the display device, of the second award for the second play of the game;
• and
• 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 multiplier greater than the second multiplier and a third quantity of paylines associated with the symbol display positions for the third play of the game, wherein the third quantity of paylines comprises the base quantity of paylines, the randomly determined first quantity of additional paylines, the randomly determined second quantity of additional paylines, and the randomly determined third quantity of additional paylines, and wherein the randomly determined third quantity of additional paylines 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:
• 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 multiplier and a quantity of paylines associated with the symbol display positions for that play of the game, wherein the multiplier is greater than a previous multiplier for a previous play of the game of the sequence, wherein the multiplier is associated with one of the quantity of paylines, wherein the quantity of paylines is greater than a previous quantity of paylines for the previous play of the game of the sequence by a determined quantity of additional paylines, and wherein the determined quantity of additional paylines 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.