GAMING SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES MULTIPLE PLAYERS MULTIPLE BONUS AWARDS

• US 20080020829A1
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/26
• 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

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device'"'"'s chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.

Claims

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager on a primary game, wherein at least part of said wagers placed are allocated to an accumulated bonus event pool; and

(b) upon a triggering of a bonus event;

(i) designating said gaming device as a triggering gaming device, an auxiliary gaming device in an active state or an auxiliary gaming device in an inactive state;

(ii) providing a bonus event participation gaming sequence if said gaming device is designated as the triggering gaming device;

(iii) providing the bonus event participation gaming sequence if said gaming device is designated as the auxiliary gaming device in the active state, wherein a probability of success in the bonus event participation gaming sequence is based, at least in part, on the accumulated bonus event pool and wherein different accumulated bonus event pools greater than zero have different probabilities of success; and

(iv) providing no bonus event participation gaming sequence if said gaming device is designated as the auxiliary gaming device in the inactive state.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes determining that the bonus event will occur based on at least one displayed event in the play of the primary game.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes determining that the bonus event will occur independent of any displayed event in any play of the primary game or of any plays of any secondary games.

4. The method of claim 1, which includes designating said gaming device as the triggering gaming device if said gaming device triggered the bonus event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said probability of success is greater than zero percent and less than one-hundred percent.

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

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager on a primary game, wherein at least part of said wagers placed are allocated to an accumulated bonus event pool; and

(b) upon a triggering of a bonus event;

(i) designating said gaming device as a triggering gaming device or an auxiliary gaming device;

(ii) providing a bonus event participation gaming sequence if said gaming device is designated as the triggering gaming device, wherein a probability of success in the bonus event participation gaming sequence is one-hundred percent; and

(iii) providing the bonus event participation gaming sequence if said gaming device is designated as the auxiliary gaming device, wherein the probability of success in the bonus event participation gaming sequence is based, at least in part, on the accumulated bonus event pool and different accumulated bonus event pools greater than zero have different probabilities of success.

9. The method of claim 8, which includes determining that the bonus event will occur is based on at least one displayed event in the play of the primary game.

10. The method of claim 8, which includes determining that the bonus event will occur independent of any displayed event in any play of the primary game or of any plays of any secondary games.

11. The method of claim 8, which includes designating said gaming device as the triggering gaming device if said gaming device triggered the bonus event,.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said probability of success is greater than zero percent and less than one-hundred percent.

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

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.