Slot machine game having a plurality of ways for a user to obtain payouts based on selection of one or more symbols (power pays)

• US 20050288094A1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Marks, Howard M., Marks, Daniel M., Singer, Anthony M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method of playing a slot machine game in which a player wagers upon one or more symbols and then collect awards for combinations of two or more symbols wagered upon appearing in adjacent to each other in the symbol matrix. The slot machine game may also provide a symbol repositioning feature in which one or more symbols are moved from their original positions to other positions in the symbol matrix.

Claims

1. A gaming device operated under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor;

a symbol matrix in the game, said symbol matrix including a plurality of symbol positions defined by at least one symbol generator; and

a plurality of symbols associated with the symbol generators, said symbols including a plurality of different activatable symbols;

wherein said processor is operable with said symbol generators to;

(a) enable a player to individually wager on one or more of the activatable symbols to activate said symbol;

(b) display a plurality of the symbols in the symbol matrix;

(c) evaluate the displayed symbols in the symbol matrix for any winning combinations which include said activated symbols; and

(d) provide an award to the player for any winning symbol combinations which include the activated symbols displayed in the symbol matrix.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one bonus game.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of bonus games, wherein the processor is operable to provide one or more of the bonus games if designated symbols are displayed in the symbol matrix.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of symbol generators.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the symbol generators includes a reel.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbols include at least one wild symbol.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbols include at least one scatter symbol.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each winning symbol combination includes a plurality of the same wagered on symbols.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor enables the player to wager a separate wager amount on each of a plurality of the activatable symbols.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol of said plurality of symbols is an activatable symbol.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor enables the player to wager on all of the activatable symbols.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the winning symbol combinations include a designated number of the activated symbols.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the designated number is at least two and the winning symbol combinations may be displayed in any positions in the symbol matrix.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the winning symbol combination may occur at any positions in the symbol matrix.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein symbol matrix includes a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein each of the rows includes the same number of symbols positions.

17. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein each of the columns includes the same number of symbols positions.

18. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the number of rows is the same as the number of columns.

19. A gaming device controlled by a processor, said gaming device comprising:

at least one display device having a display area;

at least one input device;

a plurality of symbols displayable by the at least one display device wherein a plurality of the symbols are different, wherein said processor is programmed to operate with said display device and input device to;

(a) for each of a plurality of the different symbols, enable a player to individually select and wager on at least one symbol from the plurality of symbols;

(b) generate and display a plurality of the symbols in the display area;

(c) determine whether to provide any awards to the player based on the positions of each of the wagered on and selected symbols displayed in the display area; and

(d) provide any determined awards to the player.

20. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the symbols are randomly generated and displayed.

21. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the processor is programmed to determine to provide one of the awards if at least two of the wagered on symbols are displayed substantially contiguously in the display area.

22. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the processor is programmed to determine to provide one of the awards if at least two wagered on symbols or combination of wagered on symbols are displayed substantially contiguously within the display area at least one of up-down contiguous positions, down-up contiguous positions, diagonal left-right contiguous positions, diagonal right-left contiguous positions, and any combination thereof.

23. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the processor is programmed to determine to provide one of the awards if at least two wagered on symbols or combination of wagered on symbols are displayed substantially contiguously within the display area including at least one of multiple directions and multiple of the same or different symbols for at least one of a column and a row within the display area.

24. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the processor is programmed to enable the player to set a wager value for each of a plurality of symbols.

25. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the processor is programmed to enable the player to select a number of the plurality of symbols to wager upon, each of the plurality of symbols selected having a same wager value.

26. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the processor is programmed to enable the player to select a number of the plurality of symbols to wager upon, each of the plurality of symbols selected having a different wager value.

27. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the determination to provide any awards to the player is based on if a designated number of the same wagered on symbol is displayed adjacently in any positions in the display area.

28. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the display area includes a symbol matrix including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

29. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein each of the rows includes the same number of symbols positions.

30. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein each of the columns includes the same number of symbols positions.

31. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein the number of rows is the same as the number of columns.

32. A method of operating a gaming device, said gaming device including a game and a plurality of symbols including a plurality of different activatable symbols, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to individually wager on one or more of a plurality of the activatable symbols to activate said symbol;

(b) displaying a plurality of said symbols in a symbol matrix;

(c) evaluating the displayed symbols in the symbol matrix for any winning combinations including said activated symbols; and

(d) providing an award to the player for each winning symbol combination which includes the activated symbols displayed in the symbol matrix.

33. The method of claim 32, which includes at least one bonus game.

34. The method of claim 32, which includes providing one or more of a plurality of bonus games if designated symbols are displayed in the symbol matrix.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the symbols include at least one wild symbol.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the symbols include at least one scatter symbol.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein each winning symbol combination includes a plurality of the same wagered on symbols.

38. The method of claim 32, which includes enabling the player to wager a separate wager amount on each of the plurality of activatable symbols.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein each symbol of said plurality of symbols is an activatable symbol.

40. The method of claim 32, which includes enabling the player to wager on all of the activatable symbols.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein the winning symbol combinations include a designated number of the activated symbols.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the designated number is at least two and the activated symbols may be displayed in any positions in the symbol matrix.

43. The method of claim 32, wherein the winning symbol combination may occur at any positions in the symbol matrix.

44. The method of claim 32, wherein symbol matrix includes a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein each of the rows includes the same number of symbols positions.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein each of the columns includes the same number of symbols positions.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the number of rows is the same as the number of columns.

48. The method of claim 32, which is provided through a data network.

49. The method of claim 49, wherein the data network is the internet.

50. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to select and wager on at least one symbol from a plurality of symbols for a plurality of different symbols;

(b) generating and displaying a plurality of the symbols in a display area;

(c) determining whether to provide any awards to the player based on the positions of each of the selected and wagered on symbols in the display area; and

(d) providing any determined awards to the player.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the symbols are randomly generated and displayed.

52. The method of claim 50, which includes determining to provide one of the awards if at least two of the wagered on symbols are displayed substantially contiguously in the display area.

53. The method of claim 50, which includes determining to provide one of the awards if at least two of the wagered on symbols are displayed substantially contiguously within the display area including at least one of up-down contiguous positions, down-up contiguous positions, diagonal left-right contiguous positions, diagonal right-left contiguous positions, and any combination thereof.

54. The method of claim 50, which includes determining to provide one of the awards if at least two of the wagered on symbols are displayed substantially contiguously within the display area including at least one of multiple directions and multiple of the same or different symbols for at least one of a column and a row within the display area.

55. The method of claim 50, which includes enabling the player to set a wager value for each of the plurality of symbols.

56. The method of claim 50, which includes enabling the player to select a number of the plurality of activatable symbols to wager upon, said number being at least one and each of the plurality of symbols selected having a same wager value.

57. The method of claim 50, which includes enabling the player the player to select a number of the plurality of activatable symbols to wager upon, said number being at least one and each of the plurality of symbols selected having a different wager value.

58. The method of claim 50, wherein the determination to provide any awards to the player is based on if a designated number of the same wagered on symbol is displayed adjacently in any positions in the symbol matrix.

59. The method of claim 50, wherein the display area includes a symbol matrix including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein each of the rows includes the same number of symbols positions.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein each of the columns includes the same number of symbols positions.

62. The gaming device of claim 59, wherein the number of rows is the same as the number of columns.

63. The method of claim 50, which is provided through a data network.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the data network is the internet.