Wagering game with shared payoff based on multiple player selections

• US 7,775,873 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Aoki, Dion K., Olsen, Christy Juinsuk, Kopera, Thomas M., Gilmore, Jason C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pandya; Sunit
• Application Number:
  US11/238,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/25, 463/7, 463/10, 463/20, 463/26
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a gaming terminal and a method of playing a wagering game at a gaming terminal whereby multiple players make selections and accumulate bonus awards as the game is passed from one player to another. Play continues until a game-terminating object is selected. At that time, each player that participated in the wagering game receives his or her accumulated awards plus any awards won by subsequent players.

Claims

1. A gaming terminal for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a basic game having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input by a player; and

a bonus game having a plurality of selectable objects, said selectable objects associated with game-passing objects, game-terminating objects and bonus awards that are displayed upon selection;

wherein upon selection of at least one of said selectable objects by a player at a first gaming terminal that is said game-passing object, said player at said first gaming terminal passes control of said bonus game to a player at said second gaming terminal, and thereafter said player at said second gaming terminal continues selection of said selectable objects, such that said player at said first gaming terminal receives awards associated with selections made by said first player and selections made by said second player.

2. The gaming terminal of claim 1, further comprising a total bonus award awarded to said player at said first gaming terminal that equals the sum of said bonus awards associated with selections made at said first gaming terminal and said second gaming terminal and any subsequent bonus awards associated with selections made at a subsequent gaming terminal that received said passed bonus game.

3. The gaming terminal of claim 1, further comprising a total bonus award awarded to said player at said second gaming terminal that equals the sum of said bonus awards associated with selections made at said second gaming terminal and any subsequent bonus awards associated with selections made at a subsequent gaming terminal that received said passed bonus game.

4. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said player at said second gaming terminal continues selection of said selectable objects until said game-passing object said game-terminating object is selected.

5. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein identification of said second gaming terminal is based on a random selection of said second gaming terminal from a plurality of gaming terminals made by a controller.

6. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein identification of said second gaming terminal is based on selection of said second gaming terminal by said first player.

7. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein identification of said second gaming terminal is based on said selections of said selectable objects made by said first player.

8. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said selectable objects form a grid, said grid increasing or decreasing in size based on the number of players playing said wagering game.

9. A gaming system, comprising:

a first gaming terminal for playing a wagering game in response to wager inputs, said wagering game including player-selectable elements that are initially hidden and upon selection reveal game-passing objects and bonus award selectable elements that include an award, said player-selectable elements being displayed on a common selection screen that may be passed among eligible gaming terminals; and

a second gaming terminal for playing a wagering game in response to wager inputs;

wherein in response to a player at said first gaming terminal selecting said selectable element associated with said game-passing object on said common selection screen, a player at said second gaming terminal continues playing said wagering game that was initiated at said first gaming terminal by continuing selection of said player-selectable elements on said common selection terminal.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein said player at said first gaming terminal is awarded a bonus award based on said bonus award selectable elements selected by said first player and said second player at said first and second gaming terminals.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein said player at said second gaming terminal is awarded a bonus award based on said bonus award selectable elements selected by said player at said second gaming terminal.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein said player at said second gaming terminal continues selection of said player-selectable elements until said game-passing object is selected.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein upon selection of said game-passing object by said player at said second gaming terminal, a player at a third gaming terminal continues playing said wagering game that was initiated at said first gaming terminal by selection of said player-selectable elements.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein said player at said third gaming terminal continues playing until said game-passing object or a game-terminating object is selected.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein said player at said third gaming terminal is awarded a bonus award based on bonus award selectable elements selected by said third player and any subsequent players of said passed wagering game.

16. A method of playing a wagering game, comprising:

conducting said wagering game including receiving a selection from a player of at least one of a plurality of player-selectable objects at a first gaming terminal, said plurality of player-selectable objects including game-passing objects;

upon receiving a selection from said player associated with said game-passing object, terminating said selections at said first gaming terminal, said game-passing object triggering the passing of a common selection screen of said wagering game from said first gaming terminal to a second gaming terminal;

passing said common selection screen to said second gaming terminal;

receiving a selection from said common selection screen associated with said game-passing object at said second gaming terminal;

terminating said selections at said second gaming terminal; and

awarding said player at said first gaming terminal with an award associated with said player-selectable objects selected from said common selection screen at said first and second gaming terminals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said wagering game comprises a basic game, said basic game having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input by a player, at least one of said plurality of outcomes triggering a bonus game.

18. The method of claim 16, where said second gaming terminal is identified based on a random selection of said second gaming terminal from a plurality of gaming terminals made by a controller.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said second gaming terminal is identified based on selection of said second gaming terminal by said first player.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said second gaming terminal is identified based on said selections of said player-selectable objects made by said first player.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying said selections made by said first player to said second player.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying said selections made by said second player to said first player.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein said player-selectable objects form a grid, said grid increasing or decreasing in size based on the number of players playing said wagering game.