Slot machine game and system with improved jackpot feature

• US 20050119047A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Leisure Industries Pty Ltd
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Leisure Industries Pty Ltd
• Inventors: Olive, Scott
• Application Number:
  US10/990,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Certain embodiments provide a method and system for awarding a progressive prize. The system includes a bank of gaming machines accepting different bets per play as selected by a player. A random number is selected from a predetermined fixed range of numbers that does not change during play of a gaming machine. The player is allotted one or more numbers for each credit bet. The allotted numbers represent a subset of the predetermined fixed range of numbers. A feature game is triggered for the progressive prize based on a numerical comparison between the selected random number and the number(s) allotted to the player. Certain embodiments provide a trigger condition for a feature outcome based on an event having a probability related to credits bet per game at a gaming machine. A probability of success in the feature game may be higher than a probability of success in the base game.

Claims

1-100. -100. (canceled)

101. A method of awarding a progressive prize using a bank of gaming machines and a plurality of progressive prizes, each gaming machine accepting a plurality of different bet amounts, a bet amount being placed for each play of the gaming machine by the player, the method comprising:

allowing the player to place a bet amount at a gaming machine in the bank of gaming machines;

initiating play at the gaming machine, wherein the play includes play of a base game and play of a feature game;

playing the feature game, said step of playing the feature game including;

(1) providing a random probability of triggering play of the feature game, said feature game having an outcome, said random probability of triggering being dependent upon the amount of the bet by the player,

(2) triggering play of the feature game in response to said providing step; and

(3) awarding a progressive prize in accordance with an outcome of the feature game, said progressive prize being one of said plurality of progressive prizes.

102. The method of claim 101, wherein said step of initiating play at the gaming machine includes initiating play of said base game and said feature game at the same time.

103. The method of claim 101, wherein said step of providing a random probability of triggering the feature game includes:

(1) generating a random event;

(2) allotting to the player at least one wining event; and

(3) comparing the generated random event with the at least one winning event; and

wherein said step of triggering occurs in response to said step of comparing.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein said step of generating a random event includes generating a random number within a predetermined fixed range of numbers.

105. The method of claim 104, wherein said predetermined fixed range of numbers does not change during play of the feature game.

106. The method of claim 103, wherein said step of allotting includes allotting to the player at least one winning number from a predetermined fixed range of numbers.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein said at least one winning number represents a subset of the predetermined fixed range of numbers.

108. The method of claim 103, wherein said step of allotting includes allotting to the player at least one winning number in accordance with the bet amount placed by the player.

109. The method of claim 103, wherein said step of generating a random event includes generating a random number within a predetermined fix range of numbers;

and wherein said step of allotting includes allotting at least one winning number from said predetermined fixed range of numbers; and

wherein said step of comparing includes comparing the generated random number with the at least one winning number.

110. The method of claim 109, wherein the at least one wining number represents a subset of the predetermined fixed range of numbers.

111. The method of claim 109, wherein the step of comparing includes a mathematical comparison.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein the step of comparing includes a less than or equal to comparison.

113. The method of claim 111, wherein the step of comparing includes a greater than or equal to comparison.

114. The method of claim 101, wherein said step of allowing the player to place a bet amount includes allowing the player to select one of a plurality of bet amounts.

115. The method of claim 101, wherein the probability of a player being awarded a progressive prize from play of the feature game is greater than the probability of a player being awarded a prize from play of the base game.

116. The method of claim 101, wherein said step of triggering play of the feature game further comprises triggering play of one or more feature games in response to said providing step.

117. The method of claim 101, wherein the base game is a standard game normally offered on the gaming machine and the feature game is a jackpot game associated with the plurality of progressive prizes.

118. The method of claim 101, wherein the feature game provides a plurality of pseudo-reels with a restricted number of different symbols on each reel, and a progressive prize is awarded if after spinning the reels the same symbol appears on a win line of each reel.

119. The method of claim 118, wherein the plurality of progressive prizes are of unequal value and the symbols have different weightings on at least one reel.

120. The method of claim 101, wherein one or more of the plurality of progressive prizes is incremented based on the bet amount placed by the player.