Wagering game with video lottery bonus game

• US 7,980,938 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Application Number:
  US10/594,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,314 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

System and method are disclosed for operating a gaming terminal. The system and method of the invention involves using a real-life video of a lottery drawing to conduct a wagering game on the gaming terminal. The wagering game may be a basic game or it may be a bonus game that is initiated on the occurrence of a certain outcome in the basic game. The real-life video of the lottery drawing may be stored locally on the gaming terminal, or it may be stored remotely on a network and subsequently streamed to the gaming terminal. The use of such a real-life video increases the entertainment value of the gaming terminal.

Claims

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

at least one display for displaying a randomly selected outcome for said basic wagering game, said randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player, said plurality of outcomes including a start-bonus outcome; and

wherein, in response to said start-bonus outcome being said randomly selected outcome, said at least one display displaying a lottery ticket with lottery numbers thereon and a real-life video of a lottery drawing in which number-bearing lottery balls are randomly selected, said player achieving a bonus award in response to a match between at least some of said lottery numbers and said selected number-bearing lottery balls.

2. The gaming terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a network interface for connecting said gaming terminal to a network of gaming terminals.

3. The gaming terminal according to claim 2, wherein said controller resides in said gaming terminal.

4. The gaming terminal according to claim 2, wherein said controller resides on a network server to which several gaming terminals are connected.

5. The gaming terminal according to claim 2, wherein said controller randomly selects said lottery numbers on said lottery ticket.

6. The gaming terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a controller for randomly selecting said number-bearing lottery balls.

7. The gaming terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a player input mechanism for allowing said player to select said lottery numbers.

8. The gaming terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit located in said gaming terminal for storing said real-life video.

9. The gaming terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit located on a network to which several gaming terminals are connected, said storage unit storing said real-life video.

10. The gaming terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a player identification system for identifying said player, said player identification system causing said at least one display to display a customized greeting to said player.

11. The gaming terminal according to claim 10, wherein said player identification system further causes said at least one display to display a lottery ticket having lottery numbers that are preselected by said player and stored within said player identification system.

12. The gaming terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a video unit connected to said gaming terminal for processing said real-life video and providing full-screen, full-motion playback of said real-life video to said at least one display.

13. The gaming terminal according to claim 12, wherein said video unit is a separate unit that is capable of providing said full-screen, full-motion playback on a stand-alone basis.

14. A method of conducting a wagering game via a gaming system, said gaming system including a display, a processor, and a storage unit, said method comprising:

allocating, via the processor, lottery numbers to a player of said wagering game;

storing, via said storage unit, a plurality of real-life video clips showing different outcomes of a lottery drawing with number-bearing lottery balls;

randomly selecting an outcome for said wagering game; and

playing back, via said display, one or more video clips of said plurality of real-life video clips corresponding to said randomly selected outcome.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said wagering game is a basic wagering game.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said wagering game is a bonus game that is initiated upon occurrence of a predetermined outcome for a basic wagering game.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of allocating includes randomly selecting, via said processor, said lottery numbers.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of allocating includes allowing the player to manually select said lottery numbers displayed on said display.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of real-life video clips includes a real-life close-up view of every possible combination of number-bearing lottery balls.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of real-life video clips includes a real-life close-up view of certain ones every possible combination of number-bearing lottery balls.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of randomly selecting an outcome includes said number-bearing lottery balls rolling from a drum of lottery balls down a chute path and into a chute, said plurality of real-life video clips including a close-up view of each number-bearing ball rolling down a portion of said chute path.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of real-life video clips is augmented with an animated close-up view of every possible combination of number-bearing lottery balls.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of real-life video clips are full-screen, full-motion video clips.

24. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming terminal, the method comprising:

receiving, via at least one input device, a set of player-preferred selections from an array of player selectable options, said set comprising a preferred outcome;

storing, in a database, said set of player-preferred selections;

randomly generating, via one or more processors, an outcome of said wagering game;

retrieving said set of player-preferred selections from said database;

displaying, via at least one display device, real-life video of a lottery drawing in which number-bearing balls are selected, said selected number-bearing balls comprising said randomly generated outcome;

applying said set of player-preferred selections to said randomly generated outcome; and

determining an outcome of said wagering game, via the one or more processors, based on a match between at least some of said player-preferred selections and said selected number-bearing balls.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said wagering game is a bonus game triggered by a start-bonus outcome occurring in a basic game.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising displaying said array of player-selectable options prior to said retrieving step.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein said real-life video is stored on a network to which said gaming terminal is connected.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein said database is stored on a network to which said gaming terminal is connected.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising retrieving said set of player-preferred selections based on a player'"'"'s identity.