Slot machine game and system with improved jackpot feature

• US 20050176488A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Leisure Industries Pty Ltd
• Inventors: Olive, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,108,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• 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

1-80. -80. (canceled)

81. In a network of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines being capable of accepting different wager amounts made by a player, a method of awarding one of a plurality of progressive prizes upon the occurrence of a trigger condition having a probability related to the amount of the wager, comprising:

making a wager at a particular gaming machine in the network of gaming machines;

initiating a first main game at said particular gaming machine;

determining the trigger condition as a result of said first main game being initiated, said trigger condition occurring upon an event having a probability of occurrence dependent on the amount of the wager made at said particular gaming machine;

triggering a second game to appear at said particular gaming machine in response to said determining of said trigger condition, the outcome of said second game determining which one of said plurality of progressive prizes has been won;

displaying said second game to the player at said particular gaming machine in response to said triggering;

identifying to the player which one of said plurality of progressive prizes has been won; and

awarding said one of said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein said step of determining the trigger condition includes:

(1) selecting a random number from a predetermined range of numbers;

(2) allotting a plurality of numbers from the predetermined range of numbers in proportion to the amount of the wager made at said particular gaming machine; and

(3) indicating the occurrence of the trigger condition if one of the allotted numbers matches the selected random number.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the amount of the wager is an amount in credits.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein said step of making a wager includes betting a plurality of credits, and wherein said step of allotting includes allotting one number for each credit bet.

85. The method of claim 82, wherein said step of allotting includes allotting one number for each unit of currency of the amount wagered.

86. The method of claim 81, wherein said gaming machine includes a random number generator, and further including initializing said random number generator of each of said gaming machines to generate random numbers from a predetermined fixed range of numbers, said step of initializing occurring at start up and prior to said step of initiating said first main game;

and

for every game that is played, selecting a random number from said predetermined fixed range of numbers.

87. The method of claim 82, wherein said step of selecting a random number includes generating a random number from a random number generator.

88. The method of claim 81, wherein said second game appears at the completion of said main game.

89. The method of claim 81, wherein said step of identifying occurs at the completion of said second game.

90. The method of claim 81, wherein said step of displaying said second game includes displaying spinning reel strips;

and further including stopping said spinning reel strips.

91. The method according to claim 81, wherein said step of triggering a second game includes awarding more than one game.

92. The method according to claim 81, wherein the currency denomination of each gaming machine is one cent.

93. The method according to claim 81, wherein said plurality of progressive prizes are of unequal value.

94. The method of claim 81, wherein each of said plurality of progressive prizes being a fraction of an incrementing pool.

95. The method according to claim 81, wherein said second game has a higher probability of success than said first main game.

96. The method of claim 81, and further including alerting a player that said step of triggering has occurred, said step of alerting occurring prior to said step of displaying said second game.