GAMING DEVICE HAVING A BONUS SCHEME WITH MULTIPLE SELECTION GROUPS

• US 20080004105A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cregan, Karen, Rodgers, Paulina, Baerlocher, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,874,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming device having a bonus round with multiple selection groups is provided. The gaming device provides a plurality of selection groups including a final selection group. Each non-final selection group includes selections that yield awards and at least one selection that yields an advance indicator. The advance indicator signals the end of a player'"'"'s picking from one selection group and the start of the player'"'"'s picking from a subsequent selection group. The gaming device provides the player with a total number of picks. The player uses the picks to advance through as many selection groups as possible, wherein the awards increase as the player advances.

Claims

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

(a) displaying a play of a game including;

(i) displaying a first selection group having a plurality of selections, wherein at least one selection yields an award and at least one selection yields an advance indicator that ends a picking of the selections from the first selection group,

(ii) displaying a second selection group having a plurality of selections, wherein at least one selection yields an award and at least one selection yields an advance indicator that ends a picking of the selections from the second selection group, and

(iii) displaying a third selection group having at least one selection that yields a designated award;

(b) displaying a predetermined number of total game picks of the selections with which;

(i) to pick from the first selection group,

(ii) and if picks are remaining to pick from the second selection group,

(iii) and if picks are remaining to pick from the third selection group, said predetermined number being at least two;

(c) requiring use of all of the predetermined number of total game picks unless the selection that yields the designated award is picked; and

(d) displaying the awards yielded by the selections picked.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the selections in the third selection group yields an award.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the awards are selected from the group consisting of:

gaming device credits, award multipliers, a number of picks from a prize pool, a number of additional picks from the selection groups, a number of free spins, a number of free game award multipliers, an incrementing of a progressive game, and any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the awards yielded by selections from the second selection group have a first average value, and the awards yielded by selections from the first selection group have a second average value, said first average value being higher than said second average value.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes displaying an additional award associated with one of the advance indicators.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes providing a number of extra game picks with one of the advance indicators.

7. The method of claim 1, which includes providing another play of the game upon an occurrence of a predetermined event.

8. The method of claim 1, which is provided through a data network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the data network is the internet.

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

(a) displaying a play of a game including;

(i) displaying a selection group having a plurality of selections, wherein at least one selection yields an award and at least one selection yields an advance indicator that ends a picking of the selections from the selection group, and

(ii) displaying a final selection group having at least one selection that yields a designated award;

(b) displaying a predetermined number of total game picks of the selections with which to pick from the selection group, and if picks are remaining to pick from the final selection group, wherein said predetermined number of total game picks is at least two;

(c) requiring use of all of the predetermined number of total game picks unless the selection that yields the designated award is picked; and

(d) displaying the awards yielded by the selections picked.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the awards yielded by selections from the final second group have a first average value, and the awards yielded by selections from the selection group have a second average value, said first average value being higher than said second average value.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined number of total game picks is at least equal to the number of sections in the selection group.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the award associated with at least one of the selections in the selection group is a number of free spins of a plurality of reels, and at least selection of the selection group yields a multiplier.

14. The method of claim 10, which is provided through a data network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data network is the internet.

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

(a) displaying a play of a game including;

(i) displaying a plurality of selection groups each having a plurality of selections, wherein at least one selection of each group yields an award and at least one selection of each group yields an advance indicator, the advance indicators each ending a picking of the selections from their respective selection group, and

(ii) displaying a final selection group having at least one selection that yields a designated award;

(b) displaying a predetermined number of total game picks of the selections with which to pick from the plurality of selection groups and if picks are remaining to pick from the final selection group, wherein said predetermined number of total game picks is at least two;

(c) requiring use of all of the predetermined number of total game picks unless the selection that yields the designated award is picked; and

(d) displaying the awards yielded by the selections picked.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the awards yielded by selections from a subsequent one of the selection groups have a first average value, and awards yielded by selections from a prior one of the selection groups have a second average value, said first average value being higher than said second average value.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined number of total game picks is at least equal to the number of selection groups.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the award associated with at least one of the selections of one of the selection groups is at least one free activation of a primary game, and at least selection of at least one of the selection groups yields a multiplier of the awards, if any, in the free activation of the primary game.

20. The method of claim 16, which is provided through a data network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the data network is the internet.

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

(a) displaying a play of a game including;

(i) displaying a first selection group having a plurality of selections, wherein at least one selection yields a number of free games, at least one selection yields a multiplier, and at least on selection yields an advance indicator that ends a picking of the selections from the first selection group,

(ii) displaying a second selection group having a plurality of selections, wherein at least one selection yields a number of free games, at least one selection yields a multiplier, and at least one selection yields an advance indicator that ends a picking of the selection from the second selection group, and

(iii) displaying a third selection group having at least one selection that yields a number of free games and at least one selection that yields a multiplier;

(b) displaying a predetermined number of total game picks of the selections with which to pick from the first selection group, and if picks are remaining to pick from the second selection group and if picks are remaining to pick from the third selection group, wherein said predetermined number of total game picks is at least two;

(c) requiring use of all of the predetermined number of total game picks unless the selection that yields a number of free games is picked or the selection that yields a multiplier is picked; and

(d) displaying the awards yielded by the selections picked.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the number of free games is a number of free spins of a plurality of reels.

24. The method of claim 22, which is provided through a data network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the data network is the internet.