Slot machine game that allows player to purchase reel re-spins

• US 7,393,278 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Games Global Operations Limited
• Original Assignee: ID Interactive, LLC
• Inventors: Gerson, Ignacio, Yanivello, Diego, Esses, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US11/035,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20060160595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463 25- 28, 463 10- 13, 463 16- 21, 273/143.R, 273/138.2, 273/138.1, 273/274, 273/292
• 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 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding

Abstract

A method, device, and computer readable storage medium for implementing a slot machine game which allows a player to purchase a respin of a reel selected by the player. A cost of the respin is computed and presented to the player. The player can decide to pay the cost and get the respin or decline.

Claims

1. A method of playing a slot game, the method comprising:

receiving an initial monetary amount;

spinning reels of a slot machine;

offering a player a respin option to respin a selected reel out of the reels, the selected reel selected by the player;

if the player exercises the respin option, then performing;

computing and displaying a respin cost of the respin option;

receiving a confirmation by the player to execute the respin option at the respin cost, and respinning the selected reel and awarding an award based on a resulting combination of the reels,

wherein the computing comprises;

cycling through all reel symbols on the selected reel and summing any respective payouts into a sum total payout; and

dividing the sum total payout by a number of stops on the selected reel to determine the respin cost.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing further comprises:

factoring a house advantage into the respin cost to determine the respin cost.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the reels of the slot machine comprise reel strips.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the reels of the slot machine comprise independently spinning symbols.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the offering and performing as many times as the player wishes.

6. A method to play a wagering game on a gaming device, the method comprising:

completing a round of a slot game which comprises receiving an initial bet from a player and spinning reels to a first combination;

allowing the player to choose one of a following two options;

     1) beginning a new game by repeating the completing,

     2) respinning, which comprises;

allowing the player select a particular reel of the reels to respin at a particular respin cost;

receiving the particular respin cost from the player and respinning the particular reel; and

awarding any earned respin award based on positions of the reels after the respin,

wherein the particular respin cost is determined based on the particular reel selected by the player and positions of remaining reels not selected to respin in the first combination.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the particular respin cost is computed based on an average expected win for respinning the particular reel.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the particular respin cost is different than an alternate respin cost of respinning an alternate reel different than the particular reel.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the respin award does not include awards which do not involve a symbol on the particular reel.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the particular respin cost is computed by performing:

cycling though all reel stops on the particular reel and summing awards on paylines into an accumulated win;

dividing the accumulated win by a number of reel stops on the particular reel to determine an average win; and

factoring in a house advantage into the average win to determine the particular respin cost.

11. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the respin cost has a house advantage factored in.

12. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the reels of the slot machine comprise reel strips.

13. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the reels of the slot machine comprise independently spinning symbols.

14. A slot machine apparatus, comprising:

a computer, performing;

completing a round of a slot game which comprises receiving an initial bet from a player and spinning reels to a first combination;

allowing the player to choose one of a following two options;

     1) beginning a new game by repeating the completing,

     2) respinning, which comprises;

allowing the player select a particular reel of the reels to respin at a particular respin cost;

receiving the particular respin cost from the player and respinning the particular reel;

awarding any earned respin award based on positions of the reels after the respin,

wherein the particular respin cost is determined based on the particular reel selected by the player and positions of remaining reels not selected to respin in the first combination; and

an output device to output results of the computer.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the particular respin cost is computed based on an average expected win for respinning the particular reel.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the particular respin cost is different than an alternate respin cost of respinning an alternate reel different than the particular reel.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the respin award does not include awards which do not involve a symbol on the particular reel.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the particular respin cost is computed by performing:

cycling though all reel stops on the particular reel and summing awards on paylines into an accumulated win;

dividing the accumulated win by a number of reel stops on the particular reel to determine an average win; and

factoring in a house advantage into the average win to determine the particular respin cost.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the respin cost has a house advantage factored in.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the reels of the slot machine comprise reel strips.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the reels of the slot machine comprise independently spinning symbols.