Method of playing a group participation game

• US 6,692,354 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Tracy, Joseph J., Meyer, Mark Guthrie
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): White, Carmen D.
• Application Number:
  US10/165,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20020151342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16-22, 463/25-28, 273/269, 273/274, 273/139, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/143.R, 273/454, 273/460
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3274 wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play

Abstract

A group wagering game is provided in which all entrants win or lose simultaneously as a group. The method of playing the game includes forming a group consisting of all entrants who have made a first wager on a first game and a second wager on the outcome of second group game. The outcome of the second group game is determined first, but is only applied if the first game is a winner. As such, a “bonus” round of play is provided which generates group interest and excitement in the gaming experience.

Claims

1. A gaming apparatus for allowing a plurality of entrants to participate in a primary game and a secondary game, wherein each entrant makes an entry and places a primary wager in connection with the primary game, and wherein a subset of the entrants each places a secondary wager in connection with the secondary game associated with the primary game, the gaming apparatus comprising:

at least one display device capable of displaying images associated with the primary game and the secondary game; and

a central processing unit operatively coupled to the display device,

the central processing unit being programmed to determine a primary game outcome for the primary game;

the central processing unit being programmed to cause the display device to display images corresponding to the primary game outcome for the primary game;

the central processing unit being programmed to compare the primary game outcome for the primary game to the entry of each entrant for the primary game, and to determine whether each entrant has a winning entry for the primary game based on the comparison of the primary game outcome to the entry of each entrant;

the central processing unit being programmed to determine a primary game award amount for each entrant determined by the central processing unit to have a winning entry for the primary game;

the central processing unit being programmed to determine a secondary game outcome for the secondary game associated with the primary game, the secondary game outcome having an associated multiplier value;

the central processing unit being programmed to cause the display device to display images corresponding to the multiplier value for the secondary game; and

the central processing unit being programmed to determine a secondary game award amount for each entrant that placed a secondary wager on the secondary game associated with the primary game and that is determined by the central processing unit to have a winning entry for the primary game, the secondary game award amount being equal to the product of the primary game award amount multiplied by the multiplier value.

2. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each entry made by an entrant for the primary game comprises at least one and at most ten indicia selected from a range of 80 indicia, wherein the primary game outcome for the primary game comprises twenty indicia selected from the range of 80 indicia, wherein the central processing unit is programmed to determine that an entry made by an entrant for the primary game is a winning entry by comparing the indicia of the entry to the twenty indicia of the primary game outcome for the primary game, and wherein the central processing unit determines that the entry is a winning entry based on the number of indicia of the entry that match the twenty indicia of the primary game outcome of the primary game.

3. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the central processing unit is programmed to select the indicia of an entry of an entrant.

4. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is disposed at a central location and the display device is disposed at a corresponding remote location.

5. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one remote receiver operatively coupled to the central processing unit, the remote receiver being operatively coupled to the display device, the central processing unit being adapted to transmit primary information corresponding to the primary game outcome of the primary game to the remote receiver, and the remote receiver being programmed to receive the primary information corresponding to the primary game outcome of the primary game and to cause the display device to display images corresponding to the primary game outcome of the primary game based on the received primary information.

6. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the central processing unit is programmed to transmit secondary information corresponding to the secondary game outcome of the secondary game to the remote receiver, and wherein the remote receiver is programmed to receive the secondary information corresponding to the secondary game outcome of the secondary game and to cause the display device to display images corresponding to the secondary game outcome of the secondary game based on the received secondary information.

7. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is programmed to determine a multiplier value that is greater than or equal to 1.

8. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is programmed to determine the secondary game outcome for the secondary game associated with the primary game before determining the primary game outcome for the primary game.

9. A method of conducting a group participation wagering game in combination with an individual participation wagering game, the method comprising:

receiving entries from a plurality of entrants wherein each of the entrants has made a first wager on an outcome of the individual participation wagering game and a second wager to participate in the group participation wagering game;

determining whether a winning outcome is achieved for each entrant in the individual participation wagering game wherein if a winning outcome is achieved by an entrant in the individual participation wagering game, an individual prize amount is determined for the entrant;

allocating a multiplier value to the group participation wagering game, the multiplier value being allocated from a plurality of multiplier values capable of being applied to the individual prize amount for each entrant achieving a winning outcome; and

determining a total prize amount for each entrant achieving a winning outcome in the individual participation wagering game, wherein the total prize amount for each entrant is equal to the entrant'"'"'s individual prize amount multiplied by the multiplier value.

10. A method of conducting a group participation wagering game in combination with an individual participation wagering game as defined in claim 9, the method comprising receiving an entry from at least one additional entrant wherein the one additional entrant has made a first wager on an outcome of the individual participation wagering game and has not made a second wager to participate in the group participation wagering game, wherein the multiplier value is not applied to an individual prize amount for the one additional entrant where the one additional entrant is determined to have a winning outcome for the individual participation wagering game.

11. A method of conducting a group participation wagering game in combination with an individual participation wagering game as defined in claim 9, wherein each entry made by one of the plurality of entrants for the occurrence of the individual participation wagering game comprises at least one and at most ten indicia selected from a range of 80 indicia, wherein determining whether each entrant has a winning outcome comprises:

determining an individual participation game outcome by selecting twenty indicia from the range of 80 indicia;

comparing the indicia of the entry of the entrant to the twenty indicia of the individual participation game outcome for the individual participation wagering game; and

determining if the entry of the entrant is a winning outcome based on the number of indicia of the entry that match the twenty indicia of the individual participation game outcome of the individual participation wagering game.

12. A method of conducting a group participation wagering game in combination with an individual participation wagering game as defined in claim 11, the method comprising selecting the indicia of an entry of at least one of the entrants at a central processing unit.

13. A method of conducting a group participation wagering game in combination with an individual participation wagering game as defined in claim 9, comprising allocating a multiplier value of greater than or equal to 1 to the group participation wagering game.

14. A method of conducting a group participation wagering game in combination with an individual participation wagering game as defined in claim 9, comprising allocating the multiplier value to the group participation wagering game before determining whether a winning outcome is achieved for each entrant in the individual participation wagering game.

15. A method for conducting a primary game in combination with a secondary game, the method comprising:

receiving an entry and a primary wager for the primary game from a plurality of entrants, each entry made by one of the plurality of entrants for the primary game comprising a first subset of primary game indicia selected from a set of primary game indicia;

receiving a secondary wager for the secondary game associated with the primary game from at least one of the entrants;

determining a primary game outcome for the primary game, the primary game outcome for the primary game comprising a second subset of primary game indicia selected from the set of primary game indicia;

comparing the second subset of primary game indicia for the primary game to the first subset of primary game indicia for the primary game for each entrant;

determining a primary game award amount for each entrant for the primary game based on a level of correspondence between the first subset of primary game indicia for the entrant and the second subset of primary game indicia for the primary game;

determining a secondary game outcome for the secondary game associated with the primary game, the secondary game outcome having an associated multiplier value; and

determining a secondary game award amount for each of the plurality of entrants that placed a secondary wager on the secondary game associated with the primary game and that is determined to have a winning entry for the primary game, the secondary game award amount being equal to the product of the primary game award amount multiplied by the multiplier value.

16. A method for conducting a primary game in combination with a secondary game as defined in claim 15, wherein the first subset of primary game indicia comprises at least one and at most ten indicia selected from a range of 80 indicia, the second subset of primary game indicia comprises twenty indicia from the range of 80 indicia, the comparing step comprising comparing the indicia of the entry of the entrant to the twenty indicia for the primary game, wherein the entry of the entrant is a winning entry based on the number of the indicia of the entry that match the twenty indicia of the primary game.

17. A method for conducting a primary game in combination with a secondary game as defined in claim 15, comprising selecting the first subset of primary game indicia of an entry of at least one of the plurality of entrants at a central processing unit.

18. A method for conducting a primary game in combination with a secondary game as defined in claim 15, comprising allocating a multiplier value of greater than or equal to 1 to the secondary game outcome.

19. A method for conducting a primary game in combination with a secondary game as defined in claim 15, comprising determining the secondary game outcome for the secondary game associated with the primary game before determining the primary game outcome for the primary game.

20. A method for allowing a plurality of entrants to participate in a primary game and a secondary game, the method comprising:

receiving an entry and a primary wager for the primary game from the plurality of entrants;

receiving a secondary wager for the secondary game associated with the primary game from a subset of the entrants;

determining a primary game outcome for the primary game;

comparing the primary game outcome for the primary game to the entry of each entrant for the primary game;

determining whether each entrant has a winning entry for the primary game based on the comparison of the primary game outcome to the entry of each entrant;

determining a primary game award amount for each entrant determined to have a winning entry for the primary game;

determining a secondary game outcome for the secondary game associated with the primary game, the secondary game outcome having an associated multiplier value; and

determining a secondary game award amount for each of the plurality of entrants that placed a secondary wager on the secondary game associated with the primary game and that is determined to have a winning entry for the associated primary game, the secondary game award amount being equal to the product of the primary game award amount multiplied by the multiplier value.

21. A method for allowing a plurality of entrants to participate in a primary game and a secondary game as defined in claim 20, wherein each entry made by one of the plurality of entrants for the primary game comprises at least one and at most ten indicia selected from a range of 80 indicia, wherein the primary game outcome for the primary game comprises twenty indicia selected from the range of 80 indicia, wherein determining whether each entrant has a winning entry comprises comparing the indicia of the entry to the twenty indicia of the primary outcome for the primary game, wherein the entry is a winning entry based on the number of the indicia of the entry that match the twenty indicia of the primary outcome of the primary game.

22. A method for allowing a plurality of entrants to participate in a primary game and a secondary game as defined in claim 21, the method comprising selecting the indicia of an entry of at least one of the plurality of entrants at a central processing unit.

23. A method for allowing a plurality of entrants to participate in a primary game and a secondary game as defined in claim 20, comprising determining the secondary game outcome for the secondary game associated with the primary game before determining the primary game outcome for the primary game.

24. A method for conducting a primary game in combination with a secondary game, the method comprising:

receiving an entry and a primary wager for the primary game from a plurality of entrants, each entry made by one of the plurality of entrants for the primary game comprising at least one and at most ten indicia selected from a range of 80 indicia;

receiving a secondary wager for the secondary game associated with the primary game from at least one of the entrants;

determining a primary game outcome for the primary game, the primary game outcome for the primary game comprising twenty indicia selected from the range of 80 indicia;

comparing the twenty indicia for the primary game outcome to the indicia of the entry for each entrant;

determining a primary game award amount for each entrant for the primary game based on a level of correspondence between the indicia for the entry for each entrant and the twenty indicia for the primary game outcome;

determining a secondary game outcome for the secondary game associated with the primary game, the secondary game outcome having an associated multiplier value; and

determining a secondary game award amount for each of the plurality of entrants that placed a secondary wager on the secondary game associated with the primary game and that is determined to have a winning entry for the primary game, the secondary game award amount being equal to the product of the primary game award amount multiplied by the multiplier value.

25. A method for conducting individual participation Keno game in combination with a group game, the method comprising:

receiving an entry and a first wager for the individual participation Keno game from a plurality of entrants;

receiving a second wager for the group game associated with the individual participation Keno game from at least one of the entrants;

determining an individual participation Keno game outcome for the individual participation Keno game;

comparing the individual participation Keno game outcome to the entry for the individual participation Keno game for each entrant;

determining an individual participation Keno game award amount for each entrant for the individual participation Keno game based on a level of correspondence between the entry for the entrant and the individual participation Keno game outcome;

determining a group game outcome for the group game associated with the individual participation Keno game, the group game outcome having an associated multiplier value; and

determining a group game award amount for each of the plurality of entrants that placed a second wager on the group game associated with the individual participation Keno game and that is determined to have a winning entry for the individual participation Keno game, the second game award amount being equal to the product of the individual participation Keno game award amount multiplied by the multiplier value.

26. A method for conducting a primary game in combination with a secondary game, the method comprising:

receiving an entry and a primary wager for the primary game from a plurality of entrants, each entry made by one of the plurality of entrants for the primary game comprising a first subset of primary game indicia selected from a set of primary game indicia;

receiving a secondary wager for the secondary game associated with the primary game from at least one of the entrants;

determining a primary game outcome for the primary game, the primary game outcome for the primary game comprising a second subset of primary game indicia selected from the set of primary game indicia, the second subset of primary game indicia being selected using a blower-type apparatus adapted for use with balls having primary game indicia disposed thereon;

comparing the second subset of primary game indicia for the primary game to the first subset of primary game indicia for the primary game for each entrant;

determining a primary game award amount for each entrant for the primary game based on a level of correspondence between the first subset of primary game indicia for the entrant and the second subset of primary game indicia for the primary game;

determining a secondary game outcome for the secondary game associated with the primary game, the secondary game outcome having an associated multiplier value; and

determining a secondary game award amount for each of the plurality of entrants that placed a secondary wager on the secondary game associated with the primary game and that is determined to have a winning entry for the primary game, the secondary game award amount being equal to the product of the primary game award amount multiplied by the multiplier value.