The apparatus and method of the present invention provides a gaming device
having a bonus scheme, wherein the player may choose when to play a bonus
scheme, so long as the player is qualified to do so. The method of
qualifying the player to enter the bonus round connects or links the base
game operation of the gaming device with the bonus scheme. The reels of
the base game contain symbols which alone or in combination with other
symbols yield one or more bonus awards to a player. The bonus awards are
escrowed and displayed a bonus award escrow display. Once the player
obtains a single bonus award, the player becomes eligible or qualified to
play the bonus round and the player may choose to do so at any time. The
player can accumulate bonus awards and use multiple bonus awards at one
time.
