Casino game and method having a hint feature

• US 6,666,765 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2002
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Mikohn Gaming Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Vancura, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US10/057,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20030137109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 273/143.R, 273/274, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/292, 463/20, 463/9, 463/12, 463/13
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/183 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters

Abstract

During operation of a casino game, a hint feature is displayed with a displayed decision-making game round under control of a processor. A memory may store a plurality of decision-making game rounds. A hint contains response information for a player to increase the player'"'"'s odds in winning the game round The displaying of the hint feature may occur at a random statistical frequency, based upon player hesitation, or a prevailing position in the game round. The hint is stored with each game round or is dynamically determined for the displayed game round.

Claims

1. A method of operating a casino game comprising:

displaying in the casino game decision-making game rounds, each of the decision-making game rounds having a plurality of possible player inputs,

receiving at least one input of the plurality of possible player inputs to play each displayed decision-making game round, each displayed decision-making game round having a player'"'"'s expected value that is a function of the received at least one input;

the casino game having a players'"'"' expected return over all play determined by guessing at the possible player inputs for each decision-making game round,

displaying, before receiving the at least one input, at least one hint for randomly selected ones of the displayed decision-making game rounds, each displayed hint providing information concerning at least one of the plurality of possible player inputs for its randomly selected decision-making round, the randomly displayed at least one hints increasing the players'"'"' expected return over all play for players following the provided information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the casino game is a knowledge-based casino game.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each decision-making game round is a question and the plurality of possible player inputs are a corresponding plurality of possible answers.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the displayed at least one hint provides information to the player as to the correct answer or answers in the plurality of answers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one displayed hint eliminates one input of the plurality of possible inputs as being incorrect.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one randomly displayed hint provides information that gives a percentage odds that some of the inputs of the plurality of possible inputs are more correct.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each decision-making game round is a card hand.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the displayed at least one hint provides information to the player as to how to play the hand to win.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the randomly selected ones occur at a random statistical frequency.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed at least one hint occurs when a prevailing position in the displayed decision-making game round exists.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the displayed at least one hint occurs when a set time frame expires before receipt of the input.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one displayed hint is stored in memory with the decision-making game round.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one displayed hint is dynamically determined from the decision-making round.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the casino game is a casino bonus game.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the casino game is in a wide area progressive.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the casino game is played over the Internet.

17. A method of operating a casino game with at least one player input, the casino game having a players'"'"' expected return over all play based upon the player guessing at the at least one player input comprising:

randomly in the casino game at least one hint, said displayed at least one hint providing information concerning at least one of a plurality of possible player inputs,

receiving at least one player input in the casino game from the plurality of possible player inputs, the outcome of said received at least one player input affecting the instantaneous value the player receives for the aforesaid displayed game round;

the randomly displayed at least one hint increasing the players'"'"' expected return over all play of the game for players following the provided information.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the displayed at least one hint occurs randomly.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the displayed at least one hint occurs when a predetermined condition is obtained.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the predetermined condition is when a prevailing position in the corresponding decision-making game round exists.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the displayed at least one hint occurs when a set time frame expires before receipt of the at least one player input.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising preventing display of the at least one hint when the at least one player input is received.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one hint is dynamically determined from the corresponding decision-making game round.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one hint is statically stored with the corresponding decision-making game round.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein the event is the at least one received input being wrong and the information displaying that the received input was wrong and further comprising receiving at least one more player input.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one displayed hint comprises:

displaying a plurality of hint choices, each hint choice containing at least one hint,

receiving player input selecting one of the hint choices,

displaying the at least one hint for the selected hint choice.

27. A method of operating a casino bonus game comprising:

displaying in the casino bonus game a game round to a player;

randomly displaying in the casino bonus game at least one hint to the player,

receiving at least one input from a plurality of possible inputs in the casino bonus game from the player in the displayed game round, said received at least one input affecting the instantaneous value the player receives for the displayed game round;

said displayed at least one hint containing information as to which of the possible inputs increase the expected value to the player.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the game round is a decision-making game round.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the casino bonus game is a knowledge-based casino bonus game.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the randomly displayed at least one hint provides a correct answer for the decision-making game round.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the randomly displayed at least one hint eliminates an incorrect answer in the decision-making game round.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the randomly displayed at least one hint provides information that some of the inputs in the plurality of possible inputs are more correct.