TOURNAMENT BONUS AWARDS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20080254893A1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Pravinkumar, Larsen, Joshua D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,840,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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

Various methods for administering a tournament game on a plurality of gaming machines are disclosed herein. According to one method, at least one networked gaming machine is reconfigured into a tournament mode. A gaming system then establishes one or more tournament bonus prizes. The tournament game play is initiated on the networked gaming machine. One or more tournament bonus prizes are awarded if a preselected criteria is achieved during play of the tournament game. At the conclusion of the tournament game, one or more tournament prizes are awarded to one or more winners of the tournament game.

Claims

1. A method for administering a tournament game on a plurality of gaming machines, the method comprising:

reconfiguring at least one networked gaming machine into a tournament mode;

establishing one or more tournament bonus prizes;

initiating play of the tournament game on the networked gaming machine;

awarding one or more tournament bonus prizes if a preselected criteria is achieved during play of the tournament game; and

awarding one or more tournament prizes to one or more winners at the conclusion of the tournament game.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering content of a video display of the networked gaming machine to display tournament information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonus award is a progressive prize that is augmented during tournament play until the progressive prize is won.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the progressive prize is one or more points applicable to a player'"'"'s final score of the tournament game, a cash award, a non-cash award, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonus award is a mystery prize.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mystery prize is one or more points applicable to a player'"'"'s final score of the tournament game, a cash award, a non-cash award, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving performance data regarding the tournament game from the network gaming machine, the performance data being used to determine the one or more tournament bonus prizes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the performance data includes total wagers, total points won, time elapsed, time remaining, games played, games remaining, particular winning symbol combinations, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein awarding one or more tournament bonus prizes during play of the tournament game further comprises:

determining whether a randomly selected value of aggregate tournament wagers, tournament winnings, or tournament game plays is reached during play of the tournament game; and

transmitting an tournament bonus award message to the networked gaming machine if the randomly selected value is reached.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein awarding one or more tournament bonus prizes during play of the tournament game further comprises:

determining whether an elapsed time of tournament play has reached a randomly selected duration during play of the tournament game; and

transmitting an tournament bonus award message to the networked gaming machine if the elapsed time is reached.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein awarding one or more tournament bonus prizes during play of the tournament game further comprises:

determining whether a particular game outcome has been achieved during play of the tournament game; and

transmitting an tournament bonus award message to the networked gaming machine if the particular game outcome is reached.

12. A method for administering a tournament game on a plurality of gaming machines, the method comprising:

reconfiguring at least one networked gaming machines into a tournament mode, wherein wagers are not required for game play in the tournament mode;

altering content of a video display of a networked gaming machine to display tournament information;

establishing one or more tournament bonus prizes, the tournament prizes based upon a tournament game performance data;

awarding one or more tournament bonus prizes if a preselected value of the performance data is achieved during play of the tournament game; and

awarding one or more tournament prizes to one or more winners at the conclusion of the tournament game, wherein the one or more tournament prizes are independent and distinct from the one or more tournament bonus prizes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the performance data includes total wagers, total points won, time elapsed, time remaining, games played, games remaining, particular winning symbol combinations, or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving performance parameter data during play of the tournament game; and

determining whether the preselected value of aggregate tournament wagers, tournament winnings, or tournament game plays is reached during play of the tournament game.

15. A method for administering a tournament game on a plurality of gaming machines, the method comprising:

receiving user input selecting a tournament performance criteria, wherein the tournament performance criteria is selected from the group consisting of total wagers, total points won, time elapsed, time remaining, games played, games remaining, and a particular winning symbol combination;

establishing a winning value of the selected tournament performance criteria;

periodically receiving tournament performance data from the gaming machines presenting the tournament game;

determining whether the winning value of the selected performance data has been achieved during play of the tournament game; and

awarding one or more tournament bonus prizes if the winning value is achieved during play of the tournament game.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising reconfiguring at least one networked gaming machines into a tournament mode.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising altering content of a video display of the gaming machine to display tournament information.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the bonus award is a progressive prize that is augmented during tournament play until the progressive prize is won.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the progressive prize is one or more points applicable to a player'"'"'s final score of the tournament game, a cash award, a non-cash award, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the bonus award is a mystery prize.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the mystery prize is one or more points applicable to a player'"'"'s final score of the tournament game, a cash award, a non-cash award, or a combination thereof.