Accumulation of award opportunities during slot game

• US 20030211879A1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Englman, Allon G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,455,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A wagering game is conducted on a gaming machine in response to a wager from a player. In addition to a basic game, such as a slot game, the wagering game includes first and second game features. The first game feature is triggered by a start-feature outcome in the basic game and accumulates one or more award opportunities during a series of spins of slot reels. The second game feature realizes the accumulated award opportunities. The second game feature may, for example, be an interactive multi-choice selection feature such that the award opportunities correspond to selections of award-yielding selectable elements included in the selection feature.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving a wager from a player;

accumulating one or more award opportunities during a series of spins of slot reels in a first game feature; and

realizing the award opportunities during a second game feature.

2. The method of claim 1, further including conducting a basic game in response to the wager, the first game feature being triggered by a start-feature outcome in the basic game.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the basic game is a slot game.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the award opportunities are accumulated based on a number of occurrences of a prescribed reel symbol on the slot reels during the series of spins.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the number of award opportunities corresponds to the number of occurrences of the prescribed reel symbol on the slot reels during the series of spins.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second game feature is an interactive multi-choice selection feature including a plurality of elements selectable by the player, the award opportunities corresponding to selections of the elements.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of realizing the award opportunities during the second game feature includes receiving the selections of the selectable elements.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the selectable elements yield respective awards when selected.

9. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving a wager from a player;

conducting a first game feature to accumulate award opportunities during a series of spins of slot reels; and

conducting a second game feature to realize the award opportunities.

10. The method of claim 9, further including conducting a basic game in response to the wager, the first game feature being triggered by a start-feature outcome in the basic game.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the award opportunities are accumulated based on a number of occurrences of a prescribed reel symbol on the slot reels during the series of spins.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the second game feature is an interactive multi-choice selection feature including a plurality of elements selectable by the player, the award opportunities corresponding to selections of the elements, the selectable elements yielding respective awards when selected.

13. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving a wager from a player;

conducting a basic game;

conducting a multiple free spin feature in response to a start-feature outcome in the basic game, the free spin feature including a series of free spins of slot reels; and

conducting an interactive multi-choice selection feature including one or more selections of selectable elements that yield respective awards when selected, the number of selections being based on a number of occurrences of a prescribed reel symbol on the slot reels during the series of free spins.

14. A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game, comprising:

means for receiving a wager from a player;

a first game feature for accumulating one or more award opportunities during a series of spins of slot reels; and

a second game feature for realizing the award opportunities.

15. The machine of claim 14, further including a basic game conducted in response to the wager and including a start-feature outcome for triggering the first game feature.

16. The machine of claim 15, wherein the basic game is a slot game.

17. The machine of claim 14, wherein the first game feature accumulates the award opportunities based on a number of occurrences of a prescribed reel symbol on the slot reels during the series of spins.

18. The machine of claim 17, wherein the number of award opportunities corresponds to the number of occurrences of the prescribed reel symbol on the slot reels during the series of spins.

19. The machine of claim 14, wherein the second game feature is an interactive multi-choice selection feature including a plurality of elements selectable by the player, the award opportunities corresponding to selections of the elements, the selectable elements yielding respective awards when selected.