Gaming machine having a community game with side wagering

• US 20050003886A1
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pacey, Larry J., Englman, Allon G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,662,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A gaming system including a plurality of interconnected gaming terminals. A first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals receives a side wager inquiry signal in response to a second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals achieving a special gaming session. The side wager inquiry signal causes a side wager inquiry to be displayed to a player of the first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals.

Claims

1. A method for allowing players at a plurality of gaming terminals to place side wagers, the method comprising:

conducting wagering games on the plurality of gaming terminals;

achieving a progressive game at a first one of the plurality of gaming terminals;

in response to achieving the progressive game, sending a side wager inquiry signal to a second one of the plurality of gaming terminals indicating the achievement of the progressive game; and

in response to receiving the side wager inquiry signal, displaying a communication to a player of the second one of the plurality of gaming terminals inquiring whether the player desires to make a side wager on an event that may occur in the progressive game.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising crediting the second one of the plurality of gaming terminals with a payout amount corresponding to the side wager at the end of the progressive game.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event relates to rolling dice.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is a particular outcome of the progressive game.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a side wager response signal from the second one of the plurality of gaming terminals indicating that a side wager has been made.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising crediting the second one of the plurality of gaming terminals a predetermined amount if the event occurs in the progressive game.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending is performed by a signage controller in signage located above and coupled to the plurality of gaming terminals.

8. A method for allowing players at a plurality of gaming terminals to place side wagers, the method comprising:

conducting a wagering game on the plurality of gaming terminals;

achieving a special gaming session at a first one of the plurality of gaming terminals;

in response to the achieving, transmitting a side wager inquiry signal to a second one of the plurality of gaming terminals; and

in response to the transmitting, transmitting a side wager response signal from the second one of the plurality of gaming terminals.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the conducting step comprises choosing at least one of a plurality of paylines to play and choosing a wager amount for each of the plurality of paylines chosen.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the achieving step only occurs if all of the plurality of paylines are chosen.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the special gaming session is a progressive game.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the special gaming session is a bonus game.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the achieving step includes selecting the first one of the plurality of gaming terminals to enter the progressive game, the selecting being performed by a controller in the first one of the plurality of gaming terminals.

14. A gaming system including a plurality of interconnected gaming terminals, the system comprising:

a first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals for playing a basic game and a special gaming session randomly achieved after the basic game; and

a second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals placing a side wager on an event that may occur in the special gaming session, the second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals including an input mechanism receiving a side wager input in response to the special gaming session being achieved at the first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the special gaming session is a progressive game and further comprising signage located above and coupled to the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals, the signage displaying the progressive game.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the signage includes a signage controller for controlling an outcome of the progressive game on the first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals includes a gaming terminal controller, the gaming terminal controller being in communication with the signage controller.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the first one and the second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals are identical machines.

19. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of interconnected gaming terminals for conducting wagering games, a first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals receiving a side wager inquiry signal in response to a second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals achieving a special gaming session, the side wager inquiry signal causing a side wager inquiry to be displayed to a player of the first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising signage located above the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals and including a signage controller, the signage controller transmitting the side wager inquiry signal to the first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals transmits a side wager response signal to the signage controller, the side wager response signal corresponding to a side wager on an event that may occur in the special gaming session to be played by the second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the signage controller conducts the special gaming session and awards credits to players of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals if winning outcomes are achieved.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the special gaming session is a progressive game.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the player of the second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals participating in the progressive game at least achieves a first payout level at the end of the progressive game.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the player of the second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals participating in the progressive game may achieve other payout levels greater than the first payout level, the other payout levels being awarded depending on the outcome of the progressive game.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the side wager is a prediction of whether a player will land a game piece on a certain location of a board game.

27. A gaming system, the system comprising:

a plurality of gaming terminals for conducting wagering games, a first one of the plurality of gaming terminals capable of making a side wager on an event that may occur in a progressive game to be played on a second one of the plurality of gaming terminals; and

signage located above and coupled to the plurality of gaming terminals, the signage displaying the progressive game that is played from the second one of the plurality of gaming terminals and the event on which the side wager is made at the first one of the plurality of gaming terminals.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the signage includes a signage controller, the signage controller transmitting and receiving signals from the plurality of gaming terminals.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the signage controller transmits a side wager inquiry signal to the first one of the plurality of gaming terminals, the side wager inquiry signal causing a side wager invitation to be displayed on a display of the first one of the plurality of gaming terminals.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the first one of the plurality of gaming terminals places a side wager on an event of the progressive game by predicting the particular event.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the progressive game has a board game theme and the side wager is a prediction of whether a player will land a game piece on a certain location of a board game.

32. A gaming system for playing a progressive game, comprising:

a plurality of gaming terminals for conducting wagering games;

signage located above and connected to the plurality of gaming terminals for conducting a progressive wagering game for players of the plurality of gaming terminals, the signage including a local controller for randomly selecting a progressive game outcome of the progressive wagering game, the progressive game outcome being displayed on the signage.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the local controller communicates the progressive game outcome to the plurality of gaming terminals.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein each of the plurality of gaming terminals includes a plurality of paylines for conducting a slot machine game.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein entry to the progressive wagering game is randomly awarded only to players who place wagers on all of the plurality of paylines.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the local controller randomly selects one of the plurality of gaming terminals to enter the progressive game.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the progressive game outcome depends on a wager amount chosen by players during the wagering games.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the progressive game is a multi-level progressive game, the multi-level progressive game having multiple levels of payouts.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein a player of the multi-level progressive game accumulates points and is awarded a jackpot at one of the multiple levels of payouts depending on the number of points accumulated.