Wagering Game Providing Player Options For Time-Based Special Event

• US 20100227667A1
• Filed: 03/03/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hornik, Jeremy M., Englman, Allon G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,187,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 for playing a wagering game includes a display for displaying a base game of the wagering game in response to receiving a play wager from a player. The gaming system further includes a controller coupled to the display and programmed to determine a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player based on a base wager. At least one of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time is a function of both the base wager and the play wager. A bonus game is triggered and, if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, the player is allowed to participate in the bonus game. In response to receiving a player selection, the bonus multiplier is modified based on changes to the bonus eligibility time.

Claims

1. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a display for displaying a base game of the wagering game in response to receiving a play wager from a player; and

a controller coupled to the display and programmed to

determine a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player based on a base wager, at least one of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and the play wager,

trigger a bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event,

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allow the player to participate in the bonus game, and

in response to receiving a player selection, modify the bonus multiplier based on changes to the bonus eligibility time.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein additional time is added to the bonus eligibility time of the player for each additional play wager provided by the player.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to present on the display a graphical animation that shows the bonus multiplier in numerical form.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the graphical animation changes size as a function of the bonus multiplier.

5. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the graphical animation is customizable based on game play results.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the player receives an individual award that is specific to the player.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus multiplier is represented via a numerical representation on the display.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to provide a selection menu having a plurality of player-selectable time-burst options, each time-burst option being associated with a decrease in the bonus time eligibility and an increase in the bonus multiplier.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the selection menu is a pop-up window that is displayed in response to the player pressing a cash-out button.

10. A method of conducting a wagering game via a gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a play wager from a player for playing a base game of the wagering game;

in response to receiving the player wager, displaying the base game on a display of a gaming machine;

based on a base wager, determining a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player, at least one of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and the play wager;

triggering a bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event, the bonus game being displayed on the display of the gaming machine or on another display of the gaming machine;

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allowing the player to participate in the bonus game; and

in response to player adjustment to the bonus eligibility time, modifying the bonus multiplier.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising increasing the bonus multiplier in response to the player selecting a reduction in the bonus eligibility time.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting from a player menu one of a plurality of player-selectable time-burst options, each of the time-burst options providing a decrease in the bonus time eligibility and an increase in the bonus multiplier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the player menu is a pop-up menu that is automatically displayed when the player cashes out.

14. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a display for displaying a base game of the wagering game in response to receiving a play wager from a player; and

a controller coupled to the display and programmed to receive a selection from an operator to set a base wager,

determine a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player, each of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and the play wager,

trigger a bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event;

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allow the player to participate in the bonus game, and

multiply any awards received in the bonus game in accordance with the bonus multiplier.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein a graphical animation is presented on the display to represent the bonus multiplier, the graphical animation changing size as a function of the bonus multiplier.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the controller is further programmed to provide customization options for changing appearance aspects of the graphical animation in response to game play results.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further programmed to

determine a second bonus multiplier and a second bonus eligibility time for a second player, each of the second bonus multiplier and the second bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and a second play wager received from the second player,

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available for the second player when the bonus game is triggered, allow the player to participate in the bonus game, and

multiply any awards received by the second player in the bonus game in accordance with the second bonus multiplier.

18. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a display for displaying a base game of the wagering game in response to receiving a play wager from a player; and

a controller coupled to the display and programmed to

trigger a time-based bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event, the bonus game including a bonus multiplier for the player, the bonus multiplier being a multiplication factor that multiplies a bonus award to result in a multiplied bonus award,

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allow the player to participate in the bonus game,

determine the bonus multiplier for the player as a function of a base wager and the play wager,

if the play wager is a whole number multiple of the base wager, provide a value for the bonus multiplier that is equivalent to the whole number multiple,

if the play wager includes a non-whole number multiple of the base wager, provide a value for the bonus multiplier that is determined in accordance with a weighted probability, the weighted probability corresponding to the non-whole number multiple.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein a base wager of B credits and a play wager of N*B credits results in a bonus multiplier value of N.

20. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein a base wager of B credits and a play wager of Z+N*B credits result in a bonus multiplier value of N and having a probability of Z/B for increasing the bonus multiplier value of N to a next higher bonus multiplier value, Z being a fraction included in the play wager.

21. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further programmed to determine a bonus eligibility time as a function of the base wager and the play wager, the bonus eligibility time increasing in accordance with a wagered amount received as the play wager.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein the bonus eligibility time is the same value regardless of the play wager.

23. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein the bonus eligibility time is provided to the player only if the play wager is equal to or greater than the base wager.

24. A method of conducting a wagering game via a gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a play wager from a player for playing a base game of the wagering game, the base game being displayed on a display of the gaming machine;

triggering a time-based bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event, the bonus game being displayed on the display of the gaming machine or on another display of the gaming machine;

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allowing the player to participate in the bonus game and provide play inputs via one or more game buttons of the gaming machine;

determining a bonus multiplier N to the player in the bonus game as a function of a base wager B and the play wager,

if the play wager includes a non-whole multiple Z of the base wager B such that the play wager is Z+N*B, select the bonus multiplier N to be a next higher bonus multiplier N′

based on a weighted probability that is equivalent to Z/B.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the next higher bonus multiplier N′

is equal to N+1.