Gaming device having apparent and final awards

A gaming device:

• a plurality of displayed start values;
• a plurality of displayed apparent awards, each apparent award derived through a game sequence from one of the plurality of start values, wherein each of said apparent awards has a value greater than zero and each of said plurality of apparent awards cannot be provided to a player;
• and
• an actual award provided to the player, the actual award selected from a plurality of actual awards which are unrelated to the apparent awards, wherein each of said actual awards has a value greater than zero, at least one of said actual awards has a value greater than at least one of said apparent awards and said actual award is displayed by replacing one of the apparent awards.

A gaming device comprising:

• a processor;
• a display device;
• and
• a memory device storing a program, the program executable by the processor to:
• (a) cause the display device to display a start value,
• (b) enable a player to keep the start value or trade the start value for a second value, a selected one of which becoming an apparent award, said apparent award having a value greater than zero, wherein said apparent award cannot be provided to the player,
• (c) replace said apparent award with an actual award unrelated to said apparent award, said actual award having a value greater than said apparent award, and
• (d) provide the actual award to the player.

A bonus game of a gaming device comprising:

• a first value greater than zero displayed to a player;
• a keep or trade sequence that enables the player to keep the first value or trade the first value for a displayed second value greater than zero, the selected first or second value is displayed as an apparent award, wherein the apparent award cannot be provided to the player;
• and
• an actual award provided to the player in place of the apparent award, wherein said actual award is unrelated to the first and second values and said actual award has a value greater than at least one of said first value or said second value.

A gaming device comprising:

• a plurality of actual awards, wherein each of said plurality of actual awards has a value which is greater than zero and one of the actual awards is provided to a player;
• an interactive game sequence in which the player appears to achieve an apparent award which has a value less than at least one of said actual awards, wherein said apparent award cannot be provided to the player;
• an adjustment sequence in which said apparent award is revealed to the player and then replaced by the actual award provided to the player;
• and
• wherein the apparent award is generated independent of the actual award.

A gaming device comprising:

• a plurality of actual awards, wherein each of said actual awards has a value greater than zero and one of the actual awards is provided to a player;
• an interactive game sequence in which the player appears to achieve one of a plurality of apparent awards, wherein each of said apparent awards has a value greater than zero, at least one of said apparent awards has a value less than at least one of said actual awards and each of said plurality of apparent awards cannot be provided to the player;
• a keep or trade sequence in which the player keeps the apparent award or trades the apparent award for one or more other apparent awards;
• and
• an adjustment sequence in which the selected apparent award is revealed to the player and then replaced by one of said actual awards which is unrelated to the selected apparent award.

A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting an actual award for a player from pool of actual awards, wherein each of said actual awards has a value greater than zero;
• (b) displaying an apparent award to the player, the apparent award derived independently from the actual award, wherein said apparent award has a value greater than zero, said apparent award has a value less than said actual award and said apparent award cannot be provided to the player;
• (c) providing a game sequence that changes the apparent award to the actual award;
• and
• (d) providing the actual award to the player.

A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a start value greater than zero to a player;
• (b) enabling the player to keep the start value or trade the start value for a second value greater than zero, wherein the value selected by the player becomes an apparent award for the player, wherein said apparent award cannot be provided to the player;
• (c) changing the apparent award to an actual award unrelated to the apparent award, wherein the actual award has a value greater than said apparent award;
• and
• (d) providing the actual award to the player.

A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a first value greater than zero to a player;
• (b) performing at least one keep or trade sequence that enables the player to keep the first value or trade the first value for at least one other value greater than zero, wherein said kept value cannot be provided to the player;
• and
• (c) providing an award to the player in place of the first value or one of the other values, whichever is kept by the player wherein the award is determined independently from the values and said award has a value greater than said values.

A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a plurality of selections to a player;
• (b) generating an initial value greater than zero for the player based on the selection picked by the player;
• (c) incrementing the initial value until a threshold value is reached or until a probability determination generates a stop incrementing outcome;
• (d) enabling the player to keep the incremental initial value or trade it for at least one alternative value associated with one of the selections to form a kept value, wherein the incremental initial value or the kept value cannot be provided to the player;
• (e) upgrading the kept value to an award value which is associated with the selection associated with the kept value, wherein the award value is greater than said kept value;
• and
• (f) providing the award value to the player.