Gaming device with variable bonus payout feature

• US 6,234,897 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilson, Robert J. Jr., Thomas, Alfred, DeMar, Lawrence E., Frohm, Erica A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US09/382,922
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 273/143.R, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2007/0064 Ball games combined with other games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00072 played along an endless track, e.g. monopoly A63F3/00069 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A slot machine comprises a spinning reel display and a bonus game. The spinning reel display shows a plurality of symbols on each of a plurality of rotatable reels. The reels are rotated and stopped to place the symbols of each reel in visual association with a pay line. The pay line is associated with at least one of the symbols on each of the reels. The bonus game is triggered in response to start-bonus symbols from the respective stopped reels appearing in the spinning reel display. The bonus game having different expected values based on different arrangements of the start-bonus symbols in the spinning reel display.

Claims

1. A slot machine, comprising:

a spinning reel display showing a plurality of symbols on each of a plurality of rotatable reels, said reels being rotated and stopped to place said symbols of each reel in visual association with a pay line, said pay line being associated with at least one of said symbols on each of said reels; and

a bonus game triggered in response to start-bonus symbols from said respective stopped reels appearing in said spinning reel display, said bonus game having different expected values based on different arrangements of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display.

2. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein said bonus game provides first and second different expected values, said bonus game having said first expected value when at least one of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display does not coincide with said pay line, said bonus game having said second expected value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with said pay line.

3. The slot machine of claim 2, wherein said second expected value is greater than said first expected value.

4. The slot machine of claim 2, wherein said bonus game has said first expected value when at least one of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display appears one symbol position away from said pay line such that said start-bonus symbols are in a scatter-pay configuration.

5. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein said bonus game has a multiplier associated therewith for multiplying a payout produced by said bonus game, said multiplier having different values based upon different arrangements of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display, said different values of said multiplier generating said different expected values for said bonus game.

6. The slot machine of claim 5, wherein said multiplier has a first value when at least one of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display does not coincide with said pay line, said multiplier having a second value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with said pay line.

7. The slot machine of claim 6, wherein said second value of said multiplier is a multiple of said first value of said multiplier.

8. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein said spinning reel display includes a video screen showing video images of said reels.

9. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein said reels are mechanical and said spinning reel display includes a window through which said plurality of symbols on each of said mechanical reels are viewed.

10. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein said bonus game includes a bonus display showing a plurality of symbols on at least one rotatable bonus reel.

11. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein said bonus game includes a bonus display showing a grid of windows hiding bonus game symbols which are revealed upon selection of their respective windows.

12. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein said bonus game includes a bonus display showing a poker hand.

13. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein said bonus game provides first and second different expected values, said bonus game having said first expected value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with another pay line different from said pay line, said bonus game having said second expected value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with said pay line.

14. A slot machine, comprising:

a spinning reel display showing a plurality of symbols on each of a plurality of rotatable reels, said reels being rotated and stopped to place said symbols of each reel in visual association with a pay line, said pay line being associated with at least one of said symbols on each of said reels; and

a bonus game triggered in response to start-bonus symbols from said respective stopped reels appearing in said spinning reel display, said bonus game having a multiplier associated therewith for multiplying a payout produced by said bonus game, said multiplier being different based upon different arrangements of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display.

15. The slot machine of claim 14, wherein said multiplier has a first value when at least one of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display does not coincide with said pay line, said multiplier having a second value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with said pay line.

16. The slot machine of claim 15, wherein said second value is greater than said first value.

17. The slot machine of claim 16, wherein said second value is a multiple of said first value.

18. The slot machine of claim 17, wherein said first value is one and said second value is selected from a group consisting of two, three, and five.

19. A method of providing different expected values for a bonus game of a slot machine, said method comprising:

providing said slot machine, said slot machine including a spinning reel display and said bonus game, said spinning reel display showing a plurality of symbols on each of a plurality of rotatable reels;

rotating and stopping said reels to place said symbols of each reel in visual association with a pay line, said pay line being associated with at least one of said symbols on each of said reels; and

triggering said bonus game in response to start-bonus symbols from said respective stopped reels appearing in said spinning reel display, said bonus game having different expected values based on different arrangements of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said bonus game provides first and second different expected values, said bonus game having said first expected value when at least one of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display does not coincide with said pay line, said bonus game having said second expected value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with said pay line.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said second expected value is greater than said first expected value.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said bonus game has a multiplier associated therewith for multiplying a payout produced by said bonus game, said multiplier having different values based upon different arrangements of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display, said different values of said multiplier generating said different expected values for said bonus game.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said multiplier has a first value when at least one of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display does not coincide with said pay line, said multiplier having a second value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with said pay line.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said spinning reel display includes a video screen showing video images of said reels.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said reels are mechanical and said spinning reel display includes a window through which said plurality of symbols on each of said mechanical reels are viewed.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said bonus game includes a bonus display showing a plurality of symbols on at least one rotatable bonus reel.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein said bonus game includes a bonus display showing a grid of windows hiding bonus game symbols which are revealed upon selection of their respective windows.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein said bonus game includes a bonus display showing a poker hand.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein said bonus game provides first and second different expected values, said bonus game having said first expected value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with another pay line different from said pay line, said bonus game having said second expected value when all of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display coincide with said pay line.

30. A slot machine, comprising:

a spinning reel display showing a plurality of symbols on each of a plurality of rotatable reels, said reels being rotated and stopped to place said symbols of each reel in visual association with a pay line, said pay line being associated with at least one of said symbols on each of said reels; and

a bonus game triggered in response to start-bonus symbols from said respective stopped reels appearing in said spinning reel display, said bonus game having different expected values based on different arrangements of said start-bonus symbols in said spinning reel display, said different arrangements being comprised of the same start-bonus symbols such that said start-bonus symbols in one of said arrangements are the same as the start-bonus symbols in another of said arrangements.

31. The slot machine of claim 30, wherein said start-bonus symbols from said respective stopped reels are identical in appearance.

32. The slot machine of claim 31, wherein said different arrangements of said start-bonus symbols that trigger said bonus game do not generate any payouts in said base game.

33. The slot machine of claim 30, wherein said spinning reel display includes a video screen showing video images of said reels.