Video slot machine with multi-choice second bonus

• US 6,231,442 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1998
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battle Born Gaming, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Battle Born Gaming, Inc.
• Inventors: Mayeroff, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/152,355
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 463/13-20, 463/9-12, 463/1, 463/25, 273/138.1
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A slot machine is configured to have a main game comprising a video reel slot arrangement with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game comprising a selection game. Whenever the player achieves a combination of symbols on the main game that awards the player with the opportunity to play the secondary event selection game, the number of chances provided to the player to play the secondary event game is based on the number of paylines that the player has played on the main game or by the number of credits wagered on each payline. Alternatively, the number of selections awarded to the player on the secondary event game can be determined by the symbol combinations achieved by the player on the main game. All selections by the player in the secondary event selection game can be winning selections or, alternatively, the selections in the secondary event selection game can be either winning or losing selections.

Claims

1. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding a play of the secondary event selection game for each payline activated on the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

2. The method of claim 1 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

3. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding a play of the secondary event selection game for each credit wagered on a payline of the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

4. The method of claim 3 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

5. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding two or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on which preselected secondary event selection game combination appears on a payline of the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

6. The method of claim 5 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

7. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, means for awarding a play of the secondary event selection game for each payline activated on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

9. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, means for awarding a play of the secondary event selection game for each credit wagered on a payline on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

11. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding two or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on which preselected secondary event selection game combination appears on a payline on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

13. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding one or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on the number of paylines activated on the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

14. The method of claim 13 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

15. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding one or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on the number of credits wagered on a payline on the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

16. The method of claim 15 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

17. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, means for awarding one or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on the number of paylines activated on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

18. The gaming machine of claim 17 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

19. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, means for awarding one or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on the number of credits wagered on a payline on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

20. The gaming machine of claim 19 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

21. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding a play of the secondary event selection game for each payline activated on the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

22. The method of claim 21 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

23. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding a play of the secondary event selection game for each credit wagered on a payline on the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

24. The method of claim 23 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

25. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding two or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on which preselected secondary event selection game combination appears on a payline on the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

26. The method of claim 25 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

27. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, means for awarding a play of the secondary event selection game for each payline activated on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

28. The gaming machine of claim 27 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

29. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, means for awarding a play of the secondary event selection game for each credit wagered on a payline on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

30. The gaming machine of claim 29 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

31. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding two or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on which preselected secondary event selection game combination appears on a payline on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

32. The gaming machine of claim 31 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

33. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding one or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on the number of paylines activated on the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

34. The method of claim 33 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

35. A method of playing a gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, awarding one or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on the number of credits wagered on a payline on the main game; and

f) awarding a payout for each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

36. The method of claim 35 in which a multiplier number is randomly selected at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and the multiplier number is used to increase the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game.

37. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, means for awarding one or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on the number of paylines activated on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

38. The gaming machine of claim 37 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.

39. A gaming machine having a main video reel slot machine with at least five reels and at least nine paylines and a secondary event selection game with multiple selection objects, comprising:

a) means for making a wager of at least one credit on at least one of the paylines on the main slot machine;

b) means for activating the main slot machine to cause the reels to spin;

c) when the reels stop spinning, means for determining which symbols appear on the paylines upon which a wager has been made;

d) means for awarding a payout if one or more of preselected winning combinations appear on any of the paylines on which a wager has been made;

e) if a preselected secondary event selection game combination is achieved on the main game, means for awarding one or more plays of the secondary event selection game based on the number of credits wagered on a payline on the main game; and

f) means for awarding a payout on each winning selection object chosen during the secondary event selection game.

40. The gaming machine of claim 39 further including means for randomly selecting a multiplier number at randomly determined intervals during the play of the secondary event selection game and means for increasing the amount of payouts achieved during the play of the secondary event selection game by the amount of the multiplier number.