System and Method for Gaming

• US 20130023333A1
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Ashley, Simon Patrick, Roukis, George, Visser, Antoon Christiaan
• Granted Patent: US 9,396,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/21
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method of gaming comprises providing a jackpot game in addition to a main game, the jackpot game being displayed independently of the main game. Play of the jackpot game affects at least one of the awarding of a jackpot prize and value of a jackpot prize pool from which the jackpot prize is awarded.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method, comprising:

receiving an amount bet to play a gaming machine;

initiating play of a main game of the gaming machine;

adjusting probability of winning a jackpot prize based on the amount bet;

initiating play of a jackpot game of the gaming machine after the main game; and

awarding the jackpot prize from a jackpot pool in response to obtaining a winning outcome from play of the jackpot game.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein adjusting comprises adjusting the probability of winning the jackpot prize such that a higher amount bet results in a higher probability of winning the jackpot prize.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein:

said initiating play of the jackpot game comprises spinning a jackpot reel comprising one or more jackpot symbols associated with the jackpot prize; and

said awarding the jackpot prize comprises determining that the spun jackpot reel displays a jackpot symbol associated with the jackpot prize.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said adjusting the probability of winning the jackpot prize comprises adjusting, based on the amount bet, the number of jackpot symbols on the jackpot reel.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said adjusting the probability of winning the jackpot prize comprises adjusting, based on the amount bet, frequency of jackpot symbols on the jackpot reel.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein:

said initiating play of the main game comprises spinning a plurality of reels for the main game; and

said initiating play of the jackpot game comprises spinning a jackpot reel that is distinct from the plurality of reels for the main game.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein:

said initiating play of the jackpot game comprises spinning a jackpot reel comprising a plurality of different jackpot symbols, each different jackpot symbol associated with a different jackpot prize; and

said awarding the jackpot prize comprises awarding the jackpot prize in response to determining that the spun jackpot reel displays a jackpot symbol associated with the jackpot prize.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising awarding another jackpot prize in response determining that the spun jackpot reel displays another jackpot symbol associated with the another jackpot prize.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein:

said initiating play of the jackpot game comprises spinning a jackpot reel comprising a plurality of jackpot symbols and a plurality of jackpot increment symbols;

said awarding the jackpot prize comprises awarding the jackpot prize in response to determining that the spun jackpot reel displays a jackpot symbol associated with the jackpot prize; and

the method further comprises incrementing the jackpot prize in response to determining that the spun jackpot reel displays a jackpot increment symbol associated with the jackpot prize.

34. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon, wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, result in a game controller:

determining an amount bet to play a gaming machine;

initiating play of a main game of the gaming machine;

adjusting probability of winning a jackpot prize based on the amount bet;

initiating play of a jackpot game of the gaming machine after the main game; and

awarding the jackpot prize from a jackpot pool in response to obtaining a winning outcome from play of the jackpot game.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller adjusting the probability of winning the jackpot prize such that a higher amount bet results in a higher probability of winning the jackpot prize.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller:

initiating play of the jackpot game by spinning a jackpot reel comprising one or more jackpot symbols associated with the jackpot prize; and

awarding the jackpot prize in response to determining that the spun jackpot reel displays a jackpot symbol associated with the jackpot prize.

37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller adjusting the probability of winning the jackpot prize by adjusting, based on the amount bet, the number of jackpot symbols on the jackpot reel.

38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller adjusting the probability of winning the jackpot prize by adjusting, based on the amount bet, frequency of jackpot symbols on the jackpot reel.

39. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller:

initiating play of the jackpot game by spinning a jackpot reel comprising a plurality of jackpot symbols and a plurality of jackpot increment symbols;

awarding the jackpot prize in response to determining that the spun jackpot reel displays a jackpot symbol associated with the jackpot prize; and

incrementing the jackpot prize in response to determining that the spun jackpot reel displays a jackpot increment symbol associated with the jackpot prize.

40. A gaming machine, comprising:

a plurality of reels associated with a main game;

a separate jackpot reel associated with a jackpot game; and

a game controller configured to determine an amount bet, adjust probability of winning a jackpot prize based on the amount bet, spin the plurality of reels to obtain a main game outcome, spin the jackpot reel to obtain a jackpot game outcome, and award the jackpot prize from a jackpot pool based on the jackpot game outcome.

41. The gaming machine of claim 40, wherein the game controller is further configured to adjust the probability of winning the jackpot prize such that a higher amount bet results in a higher probability of winning the jackpot prize.

42. The gaming machine of claim 40, wherein the game controller is further configured to:

award the jackpot prize in response to the spun jackpot reel displaying a jackpot symbol associated with the jackpot prize; and

adjust the probability of winning the jackpot prize by adjusting, based on the amount bet, the number of jackpot symbols on the jackpot reel.

43. The gaming machine of claim 40, wherein the game controller is further configured to:

award the jackpot prize in response to the spun jackpot reel displaying a jackpot symbol associated with the jackpot prize; and

adjust the probability of winning the jackpot prize by adjusting, based on the amount bet, the number of jackpot symbols on the jackpot reel.

44. The gaming machine of claim 40, wherein:

the jackpot reel comprises a plurality of different jackpot symbols, each different jackpot symbol associated with a different jackpot prize of a plurality of jackpot prizes; and

the game controller is further configured to award a particular jackpot prize of the plurality of jackpot prizes in response to determining that the spun jackpot reel displays a jackpot symbol associated with the particular jackpot prize.