Game of chance

• US 6,024,642 A
• Filed: 12/16/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bob Stupak
• Original Assignee: Bob Stupak
• Inventors: Stupak, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US08/991,737
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 273/143 R, 463/20, 463/21
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A game of chance and a gaming machine for playing the game are disclosed. The gaming machine preferably comprises a slot or video machine which has been modified to include a successive loss counter and a loss indicator, and to pay a jackpot amount if the results of a predetermined number of successive games played on the machine are losing results. In accordance with the method, a player activates the machine by placing a bet and then plays the game. If the result of the game is a predetermined losing combination, the loss indicator is illuminated. If the particular loss results cumulatively in a predetermined number of successive losing games played on the machine, the player is paid a winning jackpot amount.

Claims

1. A device for playing a game in which a jackpot amount is awarded upon achieving a pre-determined numbered set of consecutive losing spin outcomes comprising:

a game display;

a plurality of spinning reels representations each having different indicia and blank spaces thereon;

means for randomly selecting and displaying said indicia and blanks along a payline, the combination of which determines whether an outcome of a spin is a losing or a winning outcome;

means for a player to make a wager and initiate a spin to obtain an outcome;

means for rewarding the player and terminating play of the game set of spins if the player obtains a winning outcome;

means for counting the number of consecutive losing spin outcomes during play of the game set;

means for rewarding the player said jackpot if the player obtains a pre-determined schedule of losing outcomes during play of the game set of spins; and

means for providing differing probabilities for obtaining a winning outcome versus a losing outcome for at least a plurality of the spins of said game set such that the overall probabilities for obtaining a winning outcome during play is substantially the same from game set to game set.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the set is ten spins and the rewarding means includes means for rewarding the player if the player obtains at least 9 consecutive losing outcome spins.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the first spin of the set has a first probability of obtaining a winning outcome and the second spin has a lesser, second probability of obtaining a winning outcome.

4. A method for providing a game using a plurality of spinning reels, or electronic representations thereof, having different indicia thereon to produce outcomes of different combinations of indicia, in which a jackpot amount is awarded upon achievement of a pre-determined number of consecutive losing outcomes in a game set having at least three spins, comprising:

(a) for each spin, randomly selecting indicia the combination of which determines whether an outcome of a spin is a losing or a winning outcome, winning outcomes having, for each spin, a probability of occurring versus losing outcomes;

(b) a player making a wager and initiating a first spin of the game set;

(c) displaying the outcome indicia of the first spin;

(d) if the outcome of the first spin is a winning outcome, rewarding the player and terminating play of the game set;

(e) if the outcome of the first spin is a losing outcome, the player making subsequent wagers to play, in series, subsequent spins of the game set wherein at least a plurality of the spins of the game set have a different probability from the other spins of obtaining a winning versus a losing outcome but the overall probability of obtaining a winning outcome during play of the game set is substantially the same from game set to game set;

(f) if the outcome of any subsequent spin is a winning outcome, rewarding the player and terminating the play of the game set; and

(g) if the player obtains said pre-determined number of consecutive losing game outcomes in a game set, a warding a jackpot amount.

5. The method of claim 4 including rewarding the player at least 500:

1 if the player obtains eight consecutive losing spin outcomes.

6. The method of claim 4 including rewarding the player at least 1000:

1 if the player obtains ten consecutive losing spin outcomes.

7. The method of claim 4 including rewarding the player for obtaining at least five consecutive losing spin outcomes.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the pre-determined numbered set of losing spin outcomes is at least 10.

9. The method of claim 8 including adjusting the payout frequency for the second spin is less than that for the fist spin.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the payout frequency value for the first spin is approximately 48% the method including providing the second spin with a payout frequency value of approximately 10%.

11. The method of claim 4 further including providing differing payout frequencies for spins of the set such that the sum of payout frequencies for all spins for each is fixed at approximately 97%.

12. The method of claim 4 including awarding a secondary jackpot for obtaining a number of consecutive losing spins in a game set less than all of said spins of said game set.