SUDOKU-TYPE WAGERING GAME AND METHOD

• US 20070173311A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Marsden, Russ F., Luciano, Robert A., Hein, Marvin A., Morrow, James W.
• Application Number:
  US11/626,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20070173311A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/0418 with a grid, e.g. 'Sudoku'-type games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0421 Electric word or number games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

Disclosed are a game and method for a wagering game including a Sudoku-like element. A feature game playable after determination of the primary game outcome includes an award associated with placement of one or more indicia on a grid such that no two indicia are the same in at least one of a row, a column or a diagonal of the grid.

Claims

1. A wagering game comprising:

an interface activatable by a player;

a primary game having a set of outcomes, at least one of the set of outcomes determined after activation of the interface by the player, the primary game further comprising a plurality of displayed indicia;

a feature game playable after determination of the primary game outcome, the feature game comprising an award associated with placement of one or more representations of the displayed primary game indicia on a grid such that no two indicia are the same in at least one of a row, a column or a diagonal of the grid.

2. The wagering game of claim 1 further comprising a staging area, the staging area retaining information about the one or more representations of the displayed primary game indicia prior to the placement of the one or more representations on the grid.

3. The wagering game of claim 1 further comprising a staging area, the staging area retaining information about the one or more representations of the displayed primary game indicia prior to the placement of the one or more representations on the grid.

4. The wagering game of claim 1 further comprising a staging area, the staging area containing the one or more representations of the displayed primary game indicia prior to the placement of the one or more representations on the grid.

5. The wagering game of claim 2 wherein the one or more representations in the staging area are restricted from placement on the grid until a predetermined event has occurred.

6. The wagering game of claim 3 wherein the predetermined event comprises elapsed time.

7. The wagering game of claim 3 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of subsequent plays of the primary game.

8. The wagering game of claim 3 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined primary game outcome.

9. The wagering game of claim 1 wherein the positions on the grid of the one or more representations of the displayed indicia are determined by the player.

10. The game of claim 1 wherein the positions on the grid of the one or more representations of the displayed indicia are determined by the game.

11. The game of claim 1 wherein the primary game comprises a slot machine game.

12. The game of claim 1 wherein the primary game comprises a poker game.

13. The game of claim 1 wherein the primary game comprises a keno game.

14. The game of claim 1 wherein the primary game comprises a blackjack game.

15. The game of claim 1 wherein the primary game comprises a bingo game.

16. The game of claim 1 wherein the primary game comprises a roulette game.

17. The game of claim 1 wherein the primary game comprises a wheel game.

18. The game of claim 1 wherein the award is a progressive award.

19. The game of claim 1 wherein the award is in part based on an average of a plurality of player wagers.

20. A method of operating a wagering game played by a player, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting a wager to play the game from the player;

determining at least one of a set of outcomes for a primary game, the primary game comprising a plurality of displayed indicia;

upon the occurrence of a predefined primary game outcome, playing a feature game, the feature game comprising placement of one or more representations of the displayed primary game indicia on a grid;

and paying a feature game award, the award at least partially based on the placement of the representations of the displayed primary game indicia such that no two indicia are the same in at least one of a row, a column or a diagonal of the grid.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of restricting play of the feature game based on the amount of the wager.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the primary game comprises a slot machine game.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the primary game comprises a poker game.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the primary game comprises a keno game.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the primary game comprises a blackjack game.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the primary game comprises a bingo game.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the primary game comprises a roulette game.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein the primary game comprises a wheel game.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein the feature game award is a progressive award.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein the feature game award is in part based on an average of a plurality of wagers made by the player.