METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPETITIVE BONUS GAMES BASED UPON STRATEGY OR SKILL
First Claim
1. A gaming system comprising:
- a plurality of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines including;
a display device;
an input device;
a gaming machine processor; and
a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the gaming machine processor, cause the gaming machine processor to operate with the display device and the input device to;
(a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game;
(b) display the play of the primary game;
(c) determine if a bonus qualification event occurs; and
(d) for each occurrence of the bonus qualification event, accumulate at least one bonus qualification; and
a central controller configured to communicate with each of the gaming machines, said central controller programmed to;
(a) maintain a bonus pool associated with a bonus game, wherein the bonus pool includes an allocated portion of wagers placed on the gaming machines;
(b) determine if a bonus game triggering event has occurred; and
(c) if the bonus game triggering event has occurred;
(i) cause each of said plurality of gaming machines to enable the player playing at said gaming machine to utilize a number of the bonus qualifications accumulated at said gaming machine to participate in a play of the bonus game,(ii) for each participating player, determine a stake in the bonus pool associated with said player, said stake in the bonus pool determined based on the number of bonus qualifications utilized by said player to participate in the play of the bonus game;
(iii) cause a display of the play of the bonus game,(iv) determine an outcome for the play of the bonus game, and(v) for each gaming machine being played by one of said participating players, cause said gaming machine to provide an award to said player based at least in part on the determined outcome for the play of the bonus game, wherein said award is provided from the bonus pool.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to gaming systems and methods where enablement for play of a bonus game is linked to play of a primary game. A player may qualify for the bonus game by preselected criteria associated with play of the primary game. The qualified players may participate in the bonus game and compete against one another in one or more rounds to achieve a final winning outcome based on the individual player'"'"'s skill, strategy, or knowledge. The player who achieves the final winning outcome at the end of a plurality of rounds of the bonus game is awarded a bonus pool funded by a portion of wagers accumulated during play of the primary game.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines including; a display device; an input device; a gaming machine processor; and a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the gaming machine processor, cause the gaming machine processor to operate with the display device and the input device to; (a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game; (b) display the play of the primary game; (c) determine if a bonus qualification event occurs; and (d) for each occurrence of the bonus qualification event, accumulate at least one bonus qualification; and a central controller configured to communicate with each of the gaming machines, said central controller programmed to; (a) maintain a bonus pool associated with a bonus game, wherein the bonus pool includes an allocated portion of wagers placed on the gaming machines; (b) determine if a bonus game triggering event has occurred; and (c) if the bonus game triggering event has occurred; (i) cause each of said plurality of gaming machines to enable the player playing at said gaming machine to utilize a number of the bonus qualifications accumulated at said gaming machine to participate in a play of the bonus game, (ii) for each participating player, determine a stake in the bonus pool associated with said player, said stake in the bonus pool determined based on the number of bonus qualifications utilized by said player to participate in the play of the bonus game; (iii) cause a display of the play of the bonus game, (iv) determine an outcome for the play of the bonus game, and (v) for each gaming machine being played by one of said participating players, cause said gaming machine to provide an award to said player based at least in part on the determined outcome for the play of the bonus game, wherein said award is provided from the bonus pool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A gaming system, said gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines including; a display device; an input device; a gaming machine processor; and a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the gaming machine processor, cause the gaming machine processor to operate with the display device and the input device to; (a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game; and (b) display said play of the primary game; a central controller configured to communicate with each of the gaming machines, said central controller programmed to; (a) maintain a bonus pool associated with a bonus game, wherein the bonus pool includes an allocated portion of each wager placed; (b) determine if a bonus game triggering event has occurred; and (c) if the bonus game triggering event has occurred; (i) enable a plurality of the players of said gaming machines to form at least one team for a play of the bonus game, (ii) cause a display of said play of the bonus game, and (iii) for each of the teams; (A) receive a vote from at least one player of the team, each vote associated with one of a plurality of different strategies for said play of the bonus game, (B) determine which of said plurality of strategies to employ for the play of the bonus game based on any votes received from the players of the team, (C) determine an outcome for the play of the bonus game, based on the strategy employed by said team for the bonus game, and (D) provide any award based on the determined outcome to one or more players of said team, wherein said award is provided from the bonus pool. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A gaming system, said gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines including; a display device; an input device; a gaming machine processor; and a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the gaming machine processor, cause the gaming machine processor to operate with the display device and the input device to; (a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game; and (b) display said play of the primary game; a central controller configured to communicate with each of the gaming machines, said central controller programmed to; (a) determine whether to initiate a play of a bonus game for a plurality of the players of the gaming machines, said bonus game associated with a plurality of sets of selections, each set including a plurality of selections, wherein at least one of said selections of the set is associated with a successful outcome and at least one of said selections of the set is associated with an unsuccessful outcome; and (b) for said play of the bonus game; (i) select and display one of said sets of selections, (ii) from each of said plurality of the players of the gaming machines, receive a selection of one of the selections of the displayed set, (iii) determine whether any of said plurality of the players of the gaming machines selected the selection associated with the successful outcome, (iv) if a number of players who selected the selection associated with the successful outcome meets or exceeds a designated number of players, repeat (i) to (iii) at least once, and (v) if the number of players who selected the selection associated with the successful outcome does not meet or exceed the designated number of players, provide an award to one or more of said players who selected the selection associated with the successful outcome, if any. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification