Multi-player bingo game with multiple cards per player
First Claim
1. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game on a gaming network having a plurality of gaming units wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, wherein individual game indicia are randomly selected from the range of game indicia during the occurrence of the wagering game and transmitted to the gaming units over the gaming network, and wherein at least one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a game-winning pattern, or one of a plurality of game-winning patterns, of game indicia on at least one of the player'"'"'s game arrays with the randomly selected game indicia, the method comprising:
- enrolling a plurality of players at corresponding gaming units for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein each occurrence of the multi-player wagering game includes at least a predetermined total number of game arrays, and wherein each player may have a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;
randomly selecting game indicia from the range of game indicia;
determining whether each randomly selected game indicia matches any of the game indicia of the at least one game array for each player in the order that the randomly selected game indicia are selected;
determining that at least one game array for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s game array with the randomly selected game indicia in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia; and
determining a game-winning award amount for each player having at least one game array matching a game-winning pattern in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia, wherein each player receives a game-winning award for each of the at least one game arrays matching the game-winning pattern in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to methods and gaming units for conducting a multi-player wagering game in which at least one of the players may win the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a game-winning pattern, or one of a plurality of game-winning patterns, of game indicia on one or more game arrays having unique combinations of game indicia based on matching the game indicia on the game arrays to game indicia randomly selected for the occurrence of the wagering game. Each player matching a game-winning pattern may receive game-winning award, and may receive a game-winning award for each game array on which a game-winning pattern is matched. The method and gaming unit may further include an alternate outcome display wherein an outcome of a second wagering game may be displayed that corresponds to the outcome for the player on the one or more game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game on a gaming network having a plurality of gaming units wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, wherein individual game indicia are randomly selected from the range of game indicia during the occurrence of the wagering game and transmitted to the gaming units over the gaming network, and wherein at least one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a game-winning pattern, or one of a plurality of game-winning patterns, of game indicia on at least one of the player'"'"'s game arrays with the randomly selected game indicia, the method comprising:
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enrolling a plurality of players at corresponding gaming units for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein each occurrence of the multi-player wagering game includes at least a predetermined total number of game arrays, and wherein each player may have a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;
randomly selecting game indicia from the range of game indicia;
determining whether each randomly selected game indicia matches any of the game indicia of the at least one game array for each player in the order that the randomly selected game indicia are selected;
determining that at least one game array for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s game array with the randomly selected game indicia in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia; and
determining a game-winning award amount for each player having at least one game array matching a game-winning pattern in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia, wherein each player receives a game-winning award for each of the at least one game arrays matching the game-winning pattern in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game over a gaming network having a plurality of gaming units operatively coupled together, wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, wherein individual game indicia are randomly selected from the range of game indicia during the occurrence of the wagering game and transmitted to the gaming units over the gaming network, wherein at least one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a game-winning pattern, or one of a plurality of game-winning patterns, of game indicia on at least one of the player'"'"'s game arrays with the randomly selected game indicia, comprising:
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an input device for inputting a plurality of input selections;
a currency-accepting mechanism that is capable of allowing a player to deposit a medium of currency;
a display device;
a value-dispensing mechanism that is capable of dispensing value to the player;
a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to the input device, the currency-accepting mechanism, the output device, and the value-dispensing mechanism, the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the currency-accepting mechanism to accept a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at the gaming unit, the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the input device to receive input for a player'"'"'s enrollment in an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein each occurrence of the multi-player wagering game includes at least a predetermined total number of game arrays, wherein each player may have a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, the gaming unit controller being programmed to receive randomly selected game indicia from the range of game indicia transmitted to the gaming units over the gaming network, the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine whether each randomly selected game indicia matches any of the game indicia of each game array in the order that the randomly selected indicia is selected, the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine whether the game arrays have matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s game arrays with the randomly selected game indicia in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia, and the gaming unit controller being programmed to award the player a game-winning award amount for each of the plurality of game arrays matching a game-winning pattern in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia in response to determining that at least one game array matched the game-winning pattern of game indicia in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game on a gaming network having a plurality of gaming units wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, wherein individual game indicia are randomly selected from the range of game indicia during the occurrence of the wagering game and transmitted to the gaming units over the gaming network, and wherein at least one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a game-winning pattern, or one of a plurality of game-winning patterns, of game indicia on at least one of the player'"'"'s game arrays with the randomly selected game indicia, the method comprising:
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enrolling a plurality of players at corresponding gaming units for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein each occurrence of the multi-player wagering game includes at least a predetermined total number of game arrays, and wherein each player may have a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;
randomly selecting game indicia from the range of game indicia;
determining whether each randomly selected game indicia matches any of the game indicia of the at least one game array for each player in the order that the randomly selected game indicia are selected;
determining that at least one game array for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s game array with the randomly selected game indicia in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia;
determining a game outcome for a player based on the game indicia of the player'"'"'s game arrays matching the randomly selected game indicia;
providing an alternate outcome display of a second wagering game at the gaming unit, wherein the second wagering game has a plurality of wagering options, and wherein the number of game arrays for the player corresponds to one of the wagering options of the second wagering game; and
displaying a second wagering game outcome at the alternate outcome display corresponding to the game outcome for the player for the multi-player wagering game, wherein the displayed second wagering game outcome is an outcome for the one of the wagering options corresponding to the number of game arrays for the player. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game on a gaming network having a plurality of gaming units wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, wherein individual game indicia are randomly selected from the range of game indicia during the occurrence of the wagering game and transmitted to the gaming units over the gaming network, and wherein at least one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a game-winning pattern, or one of a plurality of game-winning patterns, of game indicia on at least one of the player'"'"'s game arrays with the randomly selected game indicia, the method comprising:
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enrolling a plurality of players at corresponding gaming units for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game for a predetermined enrollment time period, wherein each player may have a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;
beginning the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game in response to determining that the number of game arrays enrolled for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game within the enrollment time period is equal to a predetermined total number of game arrays;
determining a range of the total number of game arrays required to begin the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game in response to determining that the number of game arrays enrolled for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game within the enrollment time period is less than the predetermined total number of game arrays;
beginning the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game in response to determining that the number of game arrays enrolled for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game after the enrollment time period is within the required range of the total number of game arrays;
randomly selecting game indicia from the range of game indicia;
determining whether each randomly selected game indicia matches any of the game indicia of the at least one game array for each player in the order that the randomly selected game indicia are selected;
determining that at least one game array for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s game array with the randomly selected game indicia in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia; and
determining a game-winning award amount for each player having at least one game array matching a game-winning pattern in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia, wherein each player receives a game-winning award for each of the at least one game arrays matching the game-winning pattern in the fewest number of randomly selected game indicia. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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Specification