Gaming machine having a community game with side wagering

• US 7,662,040 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Pacey, Larry J., Englman, Allon G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US10/612,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,421 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 22, 463 25- 28, 463/40, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A gaming system including a plurality of interconnected gaming terminals. A first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals receives a side wager inquiry signal in response to a second one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals achieving a special gaming session. The side wager inquiry signal causes a side wager inquiry to be displayed to a player of the first one of the plurality of interconnected gaming terminals.

Claims

1. A method for allowing players at a plurality of electronic gaming terminals to place side wagers, the method comprising:

using wager input detectors to accept wager inputs from players at a plurality of electronic gaming terminals, the wager inputs being indicative of a wager to play a wagering game associated with a respective one of the electronic gaming terminals;

in response to the wager, using one or more processors to execute a game program that causes at least one of a plurality of video displays to display wagering games on each of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals;

using at least one of the processors to achieve a progressive game at a first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals, the progressive game being displayed on at least one of the plurality of video displays and including at least one progressive award, the plurality of electronic gaming terminals contributing a portion of inputted wagers received at the wager input detectors to the at least one progressive award;

in response to achieving the progressive game by an eligible player of the progressive game at the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals, sending a side wager inquiry signal to a second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals indicating the achievement of the progressive game, wherein the step of sending is performed by a signage controller coupled to the plurality of electronic gaming terminals; and

in response to receiving the side wager inquiry signal, displaying a communication to a non-eligible player of the progressive game at the second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals inquiring whether the non-eligible player desires to make a side wager on an event that may occur in the progressive game, the non-eligible player having a selection choice to select the event from a plurality of events, wherein the eligible player is the only player eligible for the at least one progressive award.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising crediting the second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals with a payout amount corresponding to the side wager at the end of the progressive game.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event relates to rolling dice.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is a particular outcome of the progressive game.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a side wager response signal from the second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals indicating that a side wager has been made.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising crediting the second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals a predetermined amount if the event occurs in the progressive game.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to achieving the progressive game, displaying a communication to the eligible player at the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals inquiring whether the eligible player desires to make a side wager on any event that may occur in the progressive game.

8. A method for allowing players at a plurality of electronic gaming terminals to place side wagers, the method comprising:

using wager input detectors to accept wager inputs from players at a plurality of electronic gaming terminals, the wager inputs being indicative of a wager to play a wagering game associated with a respective one of the electronic gaming terminals;

in response to the wager, using one or more processors to execute a game program that causes at least one of a plurality of video displays to display a wagering game on each of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals, wherein the conducting step comprises choosing at least one of a plurality of paylines to play and choosing a wager amount for each of the plurality of paylines chosen;

using at least one of the processors to achieve a special gaming session at a first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals;

awarding an award if a randomly selected outcome of the special gaming session is a winning outcome, a second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals being ineligible for the award, the plurality of electronic gaming terminals contributing a portion of inputted wagers to the award;

in response to the achieving, transmitting a side wager inquiry signal to a second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals; and

in response to the transmitting, transmitting a side wager response signal from the second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals, the side wager response signal being indicative of an event selected by a player from a plurality of events.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the achieving step only occurs if all of the plurality of paylines are chosen.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the special gaming session is a progressive game.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the special gaming session is a bonus game.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the achieving step includes selecting the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals to enter the special gaming session, the special session being the progressive game, the selecting being performed by a controller in the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals.

13. A gaming system including a plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals, each of the electronic gaming terminals portraying an associated wagering game on a video display, the system comprising:

a first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals for playing a basic game and a progressive game randomly achieved after the basic game, the basic game being conducted in response to receiving a wager from a participant player, the participant player receiving a progressive award if a progressive winning outcome is randomly achieved during the progressive game, the first one of interconnected electronic gaming terminals contributing a portion of inputted wagers to the progressive award;

a second one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals for receiving a side wager on an event that may occur in the progressive game, the side wager being received from non-participant player in the progressive game, the second one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals including an input mechanism for receiving a side wager input in response to the progressive game being achieved by the participant player at the first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals, the non-participant player receiving a side wager award if the event occurs in the progressive game, the non-participant player having a selection choice to select the event from a plurality of events, the side wager award being awarded irrelevant of whether the progressive winning outcome is achieved, the non-participant player being ineligible for receiving the progressive award, the second one of interconnected electronic gaming terminals contributing a portion of inputted wagers to the progressive award; and

signage coupled to the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals, the signage displaying the progressive game.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the signage includes a signage controller for controlling an outcome of the progressive game on the first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals includes a gaming terminal controller, the gaming terminal controller being in communication with the signage controller.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first one and the second one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals are identical machines.

17. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals for conducting wagering games, each of the interconnected electronic gaming terminals portraying an associated wagering game on a video display, a first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals receiving a side wager inquiry signal in response to a second one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals achieving a progressive game, the side wager inquiry signal causing a side wager inquiry to be displayed on the first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals, the side wager inquiry allowing a side wager to be placed on the progressive game at the first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals, the side wager being made on an event selected by a player from a plurality of events, the first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals providing a side wager award if a side wager event matches the placed side wager during the progressive game;

wherein the second one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals participating in the progressive game at least achieves a first payout level at the end of the progressive game, the first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals not being eligible to achieve the first payout level of the progressive game, the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals contributing a portion of inputted wagers to the first payout level.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising signage located above the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals and including a signage controller, the signage controller transmitting the side wager inquiry signal to the first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals transmits a side wager response signal to the signage controller, the side wager response signal corresponding to a side wager on an event that may occur in the progressive game to be played by the second one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the signage controller conducts the progressive game and awards credits to players of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals if winning outcomes are achieved.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the player of the second one of the plurality of interconnected electronic gaming terminals participating in the progressive game may achieve other payout levels greater than the first payout level, the other payout levels being awarded depending on the outcome of the progressive game.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the side wager is a prediction of whether a player will land a game piece on a certain location of a board game.

23. A gaming system, the system comprising:

a plurality of electronic gaming terminals for conducting wagering games, each of the electronic gaming terminals portraying an associated wagering game on a video display, a first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals capable of making a side wager on an event that may occur in a progressive game to be played on a second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals, the event being selected from a plurality of events by a player, the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals being capable of receiving a progressive award from the progressive game, the second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals being ineligible for the progressive award, the plurality of electronic gaming terminals contributing a portion of inputted wagers to the progressive award; and

signage coupled to the plurality of electronic gaming terminals, the signage displaying the progressive game that is played from the second one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals and the event on which the side wager is made at the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the signage includes a signage controller, the signage controller transmitting and receiving signals from the plurality of electronic gaming terminals.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the signage controller transmits a side wager inquiry signal to the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals, the side wager inquiry signal causing a side wager invitation to be displayed on a display of the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the first one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals places a side wager on an event of the progressive game by predicting the particular event.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the progressive game has a board game theme and the side wager is a prediction of whether a player will land a game piece on a certain location of a board game.

28. A gaming system for playing a progressive game, comprising:

a plurality of electronic gaming terminals including one or more progressive game terminals and one or more side wager terminals, each of the electronic gaming terminals portraying an associated wagering game on a video display, a participant player conducting a progressive game on the one or more progressive game terminals and receiving a progressive award in response to randomly achieving a progressive award outcome, a non-participant player conducting a side wagering game on the one or more side wager terminals and receiving a side wager award in response to an event occurrence of the progressive game, the non-participant player having a selection choice to select the event from a plurality of events, the progressive award outcome being available only on the one or more progressive game terminals, the side wagering game being available on any of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals, the plurality of electronic gaming terminals contributing a portion of inputted wagers to the progressive award;

signage connected to the plurality of electronic gaming terminals and including a local controller for randomly selecting a progressive game outcome of the progressive wagering game, the progressive game outcome being displayed on the signage.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the local controller communicates the progressive game outcome to the plurality of electronic gaming terminals.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals includes a plurality of paylines for conducting a slot machine game.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein entry to the progressive wagering game is randomly awarded only to players who place wagers on all of the plurality of paylines.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the local controller randomly selects one of the plurality of electronic gaming terminals to enter the progressive game.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the progressive game outcome depends on a wager amount chosen by players during the wagering games.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the progressive game is a multi-level progressive game, the multi-level progressive game having multiple levels of payouts.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein a player of the multi-level progressive game accumulates points and is awarded a jackpot at one of the multiple levels of payouts depending on the number of points accumulated.