GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD HAVING AWARD DISTRIBUTION USING SHARES

• US 20080108429A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Davis, Dwayne A., Oberberger, Michael M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,755 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 plurality of gaming devices each having a base game and a bonus pool available to each of the plurality of gaming devices. A processor programmed to provide shares of the bonus pool to one or more actively played gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices and to distribute the bonus pool to each eligible gaming device according to an amount of the bonus pool and each gaming device'"'"'s obtained shares.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a controller;

a plurality of gaming devices operable to communicate with the controller, each gaming device including a base game operable upon a wager; and

a bonus pool available to each of the plurality of gaming devices;

wherein the controller is programmed to;

(a) distribute shares of portions of the bonus pool to one or more actively played gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices, wherein said shares are distributed in association with at least one random determination;

(b) nullify shares distributed to gaming devices that become non-actively played before an occurrence of an award distribution event; and

(c) upon the occurrence of the award distribution event, cause each gaming machine to make a distribution of the bonus pool according to an amount of the bonus pool and said gaming device'"'"'s currently distributed, non-nullified shares.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus pool is funded through each play of the base game by each active gaming device.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus pool is funded by taking a portion of the wager made by each active game device to play the base game.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to provide one or more shares to one of the actively played gaming devices based on at least one of:

(i) an amount of time playing the gaming device;

(ii) an amount of money wagered at the gaming device;

(iii) an amount of money lost at the gaming device;

(iv) an amount of money won at the gaming device;

(v) randomly and independently of play of the base game of the gaming device; and

(vi) upon an event or outcome occurring in the base game of the gaming device.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine when to distribute the bonus pool based on at least one of:

(i) an amount of time played collectively on the active gaming devices;

(ii) a random time of the day;

(iii) an amount of money wagered collectively on the active gaming devices;

(iv) an amount of money lost collectively by the active gaming devices;

(v) an amount of money won collectively by the active gaming devices;

(vi) upon an event or outcome occurring in the base game of one of the active gaming devices; and

(vii) upon an event occurring due to a shared random outcome generation.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to distribute the bonus pool to each active gaming device by dividing a total amount of the pool by a total number of outstanding shares to form a share price and then to multiply the share price by a total number of shares for each of the actively played gaming device.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to enable a player to retrieve at least a portion of shares upon cashing out.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a communications link between the gaming devices, and which is configured to enable one of the players of a first one of the gaming devices to transfer at least one share to a second one of the gaming devices.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the transfer includes at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

(i) being a sale of the at least one share from the first gaming device to the second gaming device;

(ii) occurring according to a solicitation from the first or second gaming device; and

(iii) being a gift from the first gaming device to the second gaming devices.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a display configured to displaying at least one of:

(i) a total amount of the bonus pool;

(ii) a total number of shares outstanding;

(iii) an amount per share;

(iv) a number of shares belonging to at least one of the active gaming devices; and

(v) a total amount of the shares belong to the at least one active gaming device.

11. The gaming device system of claim 10, wherein the display is provided on at least one of:

(i) a display device dedicated to one of the gaming devices; and

(ii) a display device shared by at least two of the plurality of gaming devices.

12. A gaming system comprising:

a controller; and

a plurality of gaming devices operable to communicate with the controller, wherein each gaming device includes;

(a) a game operable upon a wager, and

(b) a display device, the display device configured to display;

(i) a total value of a bonus pool common to the plurality of gaming devices;

(ii) a number of shares associated with the gaming device at a first point in time, and

(iii) a total value of the shares associated with the gaming device.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein each display device is further configured to display at least one of:

(i) a total number of shares of the bonus pool outstanding; and

(ii) a value per share.

14. The gaming system of claim 12, which is configured such that the display device displays items (i) to (iii) only when the gaming device is actively played.

15. The gaming system of claim 12, which is configured to nullify shares of gaming devices becoming inactively played such that a total number of shares is reduced and the total value of the shares displayed is increased.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the display device is further configured to show at least one of:

(i) a base game played in combination with the bonus pool;

(ii) the total value of the bonus pool and the total value of the shares belonging to the gaming device increasing periodically; and

(iii) an event causing the bonus pool to be distributed to actively played gaming devices of the gaming system.

17. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) maintaining a bonus pool, said bonus pool having a value;

(b) providing shares of the bonus pool to actively played gaming devices, wherein each actively played gaming device includes at least one base game operable upon a wager by a player;

(c) nullifying shares provided to gaming devices that become non-actively played before an occurrence of a triggering event; and

(d) upon a randomly determined occurrence of the triggering event, enabling at least one of the players to redeem at least one of the currently provided, non-nullified shares, wherein an amount paid out for each redeemed share is based on the number of shares provided and the value of the bonus pool.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein maintaining the bonus pool includes funding the pool progressively.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein providing shares to the actively played gaming devices occurs individually on a gaming device by gaming device basis.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the payout event is based on at least one of:

(i) an amount of time played collectively on the active gaming devices;

(ii) a random time of the day;

(iii) an amount of money wagered collectively on the active gaming devices;

(iv) an amount of money lost collectively by the active gaming devices;

(v) an amount of money won collectively by the active gaming devices;

(vi) upon an event or outcome occurring in the base game of one of the active gaming devices; and

(viii) upon an event occurring due to a shared random outcome generation.