Slot machine game and system with improved jackpot feature

• US 7,108,603 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Leisure Industries Pty Ltd (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Olive, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US11/102,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 463 20- 22, 463/25, 463/42, 463/16
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Certain embodiments provide a method and system for awarding a progressive prize. The system includes a bank of gaming machines accepting different bets per play as selected by a player. A random number is selected from a predetermined fixed range of numbers that does not change during play of a gaming machine. The player is allotted one or more numbers for each credit bet. The allotted numbers represent a subset of the predetermined fixed range of numbers. A feature game is triggered for the progressive prize based on a numerical comparison between the selected random number and the number(s) allotted to the player. Certain embodiments provide a trigger condition for a feature outcome based on an event having a probability related to credits bet per game at a gaming machine. A probability of success in the feature game may be higher than a probability of success in the base game.

Claims

1. In a network of gaming machines, each of said gaining machines being capable of accepting different wager amounts made by a player, a method of randomly awarding one progressive prize from a plurality of progressive prizes using a second game to select said one progressive prize, a display of said second game being triggered upon an occunence of a random trigger condition having a probability of occurrence related to an amount of the wager, comprising:

making a wager at a particular gaming machine in the network of gaming machines;

initiating a first main game at said particular gaming machine;

causing a second game trigger condition to occur as a result of said first main game being initiated, said second game trigger condition occurring randomly and having a probability of occurrence dependent on the amount of the wager made at said particular gaming machine, said step of causing a second game trigger condition to occur including;

(1) selecting a random number from a predetermined range of numbers;

(2) allotting a plurality of numbers from the predetermined range of numbers in proportion to the amount of the wager made at said particular gaming machine; and

(3) indicating the occurrence of the trigger condition if one of the allotted numbers matches the selected random number;

triggering a second game to appear at said particular gaming machine in response to said occurrence of said second game trigger condition, said second game appearing after completion of said first main game;

randomly selecting said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won;

displaying said second game to the player at said particular gaining machine in response to said triggering;

identifying to the player said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won; and

awarding said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of the wager is an amount in credits.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of making a wager includes boning a plurality of credits, and wherein said step of allotting includes allotting one number for each credit bet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of allotting includes allotting one number for each unit of currency of the amount wagered.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of selecting a random number includes generating a random number from a random number generator.