METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A COMPETITIVE BONUS GAME WITH VARIABLE ODDS

• US 20080032764A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cannon, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,100,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/404 characterized by a local network connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A bonus controller for generating a competitive bonus game in a gaming system, the bonus controller having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The bonus controller being programmed to: receive wagering data corresponding to a casino game, enter a first player associated with a first gaming apparatus into the competitive bonus game when the first player obtains a qualifying win at the casino game, determine odds for the first player to win the competitive bonus game, vary odds of winning the competitive bonus game for at least a second player after entering the first player into the competitive bonus game, the second player having been previously entered into the competitive bonus game, determine an outcome of the competitive bonus game, and transmit data corresponding to the outcome of the competitive bonus game to a display unit.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming apparatuses, each gaming apparatus including;

at least one display unit operable to display a primary game and a bonus game, and

at least one input device; and

at least one controller configured to operate with said gaming apparatuses to;

(a) determine if a qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses;

(b) if the qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatus, associate at least one of a plurality of bonus game entries with said gaming apparatus, wherein a quantity of associated bonus game entries is based, at least in part, on an amount wagered on at least one play of the primary game of said gaming apparatus;

(c) repeat (a) to (b) until a determination occurs to initiate the bonus game; and

(d) when the determination to initiate the bonus game occurs;

(i) randomly select one of said associated bonus game entries,

(ii) eliminate said selected bonus game entry,

(iii) repeat (i) to (ii) until one associated bonus game entry remains, and

(iv) cause the gaming apparatus associated with the one remaining bonus game entry to display and provide an award.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said determination to initiate the bonus game occurs when each of said plurality of bonus game entries are associated with at least one of said gaming apparatuses.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the determination to initiate the bonus game occurs based on time.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said provided award is a progressive award.

5. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming apparatuses, each gaming apparatus including;

at least one display unit operable to display a primary game and a bonus game, and

at least one input device; and

at least one controller configured to operate with said gaming apparatuses to;

(a) determine if a qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses;

(b) if the qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatus and said gaming apparatus is associated with none of a plurality of bonus game entries, associate at least one of the plurality of bonus game entries with said gaming apparatus, wherein each bonus game entry is associated with a probability of winning the bonus game;

(c) if the qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatus and said gaming apparatus is associated with at least one of said plurality of bonus game entries;

(i) cause said gaming apparatus to enable a player to elect to obtain another one of said plurality of bonus game entries or increase the probability of winning the bonus game associated with at least one of said bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatus,

(ii) if the player makes an input to obtain another one of said plurality of bonus game entries, associate at least one of the plurality of bonus game entries with said gaming apparatus, and

(iii) if the player makes an input to increase the probability of winning the bonus game associated with at least one of said bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatus, increase the probability of winning the bonus game associated with at least one of said bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatus;

(d) repeat (a) to (c) until the bonus game is initiated; and

(e) when the bonus game is initiated, determine and display an outcome for said bonus game, wherein said determined and displayed outcome is based on the determined probabilities of winning the bonus game associated with the bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatuses.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein a quantity of associated bonus game entries is based, at least in part, on an amount wagered on at least one play of the primary game of said gaming apparatus.

7. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the bonus game is initiated based on time.

8. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein said displayed outcome for said initiated bonus game is a progressive award.

9. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming apparatuses, each gaming apparatus including;

at least one display unit operable to display a primary game and a bonus game, and

at least one input device; and

at least one controller configured to operate with said gaming apparatuses to;

(a) determine if a qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses;

(b) if the qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatus, associate at least one of a plurality of bonus game entries with said gaming apparatus, wherein each bonus game entry has a probability of winning the bonus game;

(c) repeat (a) to (b) until the bonus game is initiated; and

(d) when the bonus game is initiated;

(i) cause at least one of said gaming apparatuses to enable a player at said gaming apparatus to elect to defer participation in the initiated bonus game or elect to participate in the initiated bonus game,

(ii) if the player at said gaming apparatus makes an input to defer participation in the initiated bonus game, exclude any bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatus from said initiated bonus game, and

(iii) if the player at said gaming apparatus makes an input to participate in the initiated bonus game, determine and display an outcome for said initiated bonus game, wherein said determined and displayed outcome is based on the determined probabilities of winning the bonus game of the non-excluded bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatuses.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein if the player at said gaming apparatus elects to defer participation in the initiated bonus game, said excluded bonus game entries remain associated with said gaming apparatus for another initiation of the bonus game.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein a quantity of associated bonus game entries is based, at least in part, on an amount wagered on at least one play of the primary game of said gaming apparatus.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the bonus game is initiated based on time.

13. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein said displayed outcome for said initiated bonus game is a progressive award.

14. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming apparatuses, each gaming apparatus including;

at least one display unit operable to display a primary game and a competitive bonus game, and

at least one input device; and

at least one controller configured to operate with said gaming apparatuses to;

(a) determine if a qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses;

(b) if the qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatus, associate at least one of a plurality of competitive bonus game entries with said gaming apparatus, wherein each competitive bonus game entry has a probability of winning the bonus game;

(c) repeat (a) to (b) until a determination to initiate the competitive bonus game occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses; and

(d) when the determination to initiate the bonus game occurs;

(i) increase the probability of winning the competitive bonus game of at least one of said competitive bonus game entries associated with the gaming apparatus associated with the occurrence of the initiation of the competitive bonus game, and

(ii) determine and display an outcome for said initiated competitive bonus game, wherein said determined and displayed outcome is based on the determined probabilities of winning the competitive bonus game of the competitive bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatuses.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein a quantity of competitive bonus game entries associated with said gaming device is based, at least in part, on an amount wagered on at least one play of the primary game of said gaming apparatus.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the determination to initiate the competitive bonus game occurs based on time.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein said displayed outcome for said initiated competitive bonus game is a progressive award.

18. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming apparatuses, each gaming apparatus including;

at least one display unit operable to display a primary game and a bonus game, and

at least one input device; and

at least one controller configured to operate with said gaming apparatuses to;

(a) determine if a qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses;

(b) for each qualifying event which occurs in association with said gaming apparatus;

(i) determine a probability of winning the bonus game for said gaming apparatus, wherein said probability of winning the bonus game is relative to each other gaming apparatus and is based, at least in part, on an amount wagered on at least one play of the primary game of said gaming apparatus, and

(ii) for any other gaming apparatus associated with at least one occurrence of said qualifying event, modify any determined probability of winning the bonus game;

(c) repeat (a) to (b) until the bonus game is initiated; and

(d) when the bonus game is initiated, determine and display an outcome for said bonus game, wherein said determined and displayed outcome is based on the determined probabilities of winning the bonus game.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein an increase in the probability of winning the bonus game for a first one of the gaming apparatuses causes a decrease in the probability of winning the bonus game for a second one of the gaming apparatuses.

20. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the bonus game is initiated based on time.

21. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said displayed outcome for said initiated bonus game is a progressive award.