Systems, apparatuses, and methods for operating an action game of chance. The methods including methods of wagering on an action game by comparing a current player score to a plurality of other player scores, awarding a player based on a score and a random event, wherein the odds of receiving the award are increased as the score increases, establishing a game purse based on wagers placed and payouts made, requiring additional wagers if a player does not exceed a predetermined threshold minimum required score and terminating the action game if the game running score is lower than the minimum required score. Action game of chance apparatuses are also provided that include a display, a user interface, a wager acceptor, and a processor. The processor executes instructions that cause the processor to recognize an amount wagered, display an action game, vary the action game based on user input, and credit a player based on the input and a random event.