Lucky spot betting

• US 10,282,946 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Brown, Bradford D., Ruymann, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US14/515,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for enabling player to play a keno game allowing for additional betting. The player may select keno board spots on the keno board, and then place an additional wager on one of the selected keno board spots. If the selected keno board spot is part of a winning combination, the player may be awarded a supplemental bonus.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

causing, by a processor, a display device to display a keno board comprising a set of multiple spots;

receiving, via an input device, at least one player spot input representing a plurality of player-selected spots of the set of multiple spots and an award enhancement spot input representing a player-selected award enhancement spot from the set of multiple spots, wherein the award enhancement spot input comprises one of a plurality of different player-selected wager amounts associated with said player-selected award enhancement spot, said plurality of different player-selected wager amounts comprising a first wager amount associated with a first quantity of hits and a second greater wager amount associated with a second greater quantity of hits;

randomly determining, by the processor, a plurality of drawn spots of the set of multiple spots;

determining, by the processor, a quantity of hits by determining whether any of the plurality of drawn spots match any of the plurality of player-selected spots and the player-selected award enhancement spot, wherein a match between the player-selected award enhancement spot and one of the plurality of drawn spots increases the quantity of hits by an amount associated with the one of the plurality of different player-selected wager amounts; and

determining, by the processor, a player award based on the quantity of hits.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of player-selected spots comprise the player-selected award enhancement spot.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the processor, the player award comprises:

determining, by the processor, a first award amount responsive to determining a first quantity of hits; and

determining, by the processor, a second award amount responsive to determining a second quantity of hits, wherein the first and second award amounts are different and the first and second quantities of hits are different.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the player award is in part based on the number of player-selected spots.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, via the input device, the award enhancement spot input after receiving, via the input device, the at least one player spot input.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, via the input device, the award enhancement spot input before receiving, via the input device, the at least one player spot input.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by an acceptor, a physical item associated with a monetary value;

establishing, by the processor, a credit balance based on the monetary value responsive to receiving the physical item, wherein the credit balance is decreasable by the player-selected wager amount and increasable by any player award;

receiving, by the input device, a cashout input; and

initiating, by the processor, a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to the cashout input,

wherein determining, by the processor, the player award comprises determining, by the processor, the player award based in part on the player-selected wager amount.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device and the input device are parts of a mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor is not part of the mobile device.

10. A gaming system comprising:

a display device;

a user-input panel; and

a game controller having one or more data processors and one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to;

cause the display device to display a keno board comprising a set of multiple spots;

receive, via the user-input panel, at least one player spot input representing a plurality of player-selected spots of the set of multiple spots and an award enhancement spot input representing a player-selected award enhancement spot from the set of multiple spots, wherein the award enhancement spot input comprises one of a plurality of different player-selected wager amounts associated with said player-selected award enhancement spot, said plurality of different player-selected wager amounts comprising a first wager amount associated with a first quantity of hits and a second greater wager amount associated with a second greater quantity of hits;

randomly determine a plurality of drawn spots of the set of multiple spots;

determine a quantity of hits by determining whether any of the plurality of drawn spots match any of the plurality of player-selected spots and the player-selected award enhancement spot, wherein a match between the player-selected award enhancement spot and one of the plurality of drawn spots increases the quantity of hits by an amount associated with the one of the plurality of different player-selected wager amounts; and

determine a player award based on the quantity of hits.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of player-selected spots comprises the player-selected award enhancement spot.

12. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to determine the player award by:

determining a first award amount responsive to determining a first quantity of hits; and

determining a second award amount responsive to determining a second quantity of hits, wherein the first and second award amounts are different and the first and second quantities of hits are different.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the player award is in part based on the number of spots in the plurality of player-selected spots.

14. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to enable input of the award enhancement spot input after receiving the at least one player spot input.

15. The gaming system of claim 10, further comprising an acceptor configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to:

establish a credit balance based on the monetary value responsive to receipt, by the acceptor, of the physical item, wherein the credit balance is decreasable by the player-selected wager amount and increasable by any player award; and

initiate a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to receipt, by the user-input panel, of a cashout input,

wherein any player award based in part on the player-selected wager amount.

16. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the display device and the user-input panel are parts of a mobile device.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the processor is not part of the mobile device.