Gaming system and method providing a multiplayer bonus game having a plurality of award opportunities

• US 8,070,587 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Davis, Dwayne A., Miltenberger, Paul D., Nicely, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US11/925,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 463/18, 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A gaming system where, as players play the primary games of the gaming devices, the gaming devices or the players playing at those gaming devices are occasionally provided with game elements associated with a multiplayer bonus game. In one embodiment, when a designated number of the game elements associated with the multiplayer bonus game have been awarded during game play, the multiplayer bonus game is triggered. During the multiplayer bonus game, the gaming system randomly selects a plurality of the game elements and compares the randomly selected game elements with the game elements awarded to the players. The players receive bonus awards based at least in part on the relationship between the awarded game elements and the game elements which are randomly selected during the bonus game.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each of the gaming devices configured to display at least one primary game upon a wager;

at least one display device associated with the gaming devices; and

a controller configured to operate with the gaming devices and the at least one display device to;

(a) enable a plurality of players to place wagers at the gaming devices to play the at least one primary game;

(b) display a play of a group bonus game having a group keno board, the group keno board including a predetermined quantity of positions, wherein each of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions is capable of being associated with only one of the players for said play of the group bonus game;

(c) for each of the gaming devices, for each play of the at least one primary game at said gaming device, for each one of a plurality of position award triggers that occurs in association with said play of the at least one primary game;

(i) determine at least one of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions that is not associated with any of the players for said play of the group bonus game to associate with the player of said gaming device for said play of the group bonus game, and

(ii) associate said determined at least one of the positions with said player for said play of the group bonus game; and

(d) for a group bonus game triggering event for said play of the group bonus game;

(i) randomly select and display a designated quantity of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions to form a controller-selected set of positions,

(ii) determine a group bonus game outcome based on a comparison of;

(A) any of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions that are associated with any of the players, and

(B) the positions in the controller-selected set of positions,

(iii) determine any awards to be provided to one or more of the players based on the group bonus game outcome, and

(iv) cause any determined awards to be provided to said one or more of the players.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the position award triggers is based on at least one of:

(i) a randomly determined event, and (ii) a predetermined event.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured operate with the gaming devices and the at least one display device to, for each of the gaming devices, for each play of the at least one primary game at said gaming device, for each one of the position award triggers that occurs in association with said play of the at least one primary game, determine which position or positions of the predetermined quantity of positions to associate with the player of said gaming device for said play of the group bonus game randomly, based on an event associated with the primary game, or based on a predetermined event.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices and the at least one display device to, for each of the gaming devices, for each play of the at least one primary game at said gaming device, for each one of the position award triggers that occurs in association with said play of the at least one primary game, enable the player of said gaming device to select at least one of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions to be associated with said player for said play of the group bonus game.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said group bonus game triggering event occurs when a designated quantity of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions have been associated with the players.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the group bonus game is associated with a total bonus award, and wherein, for said play of the group bonus game, if any awards are determined to be provided to one or more of the players, each determined award includes a portion of said total bonus award.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the each portion of said total bonus award is based at least in part on a wager placed by the player being provided with said portion.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the comparison includes determining whether any of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions that are associated with any of the players match the positions in the controller-selected set of positions.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein any determined award provided to one of the players is based on a number of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions associated with said player that match the positions in the controller-selected set of positions.

10. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each of the gaming devices configured to display a primary game upon a wager;

at least one display device associated with the gaming devices; and

a controller configured to operate with the gaming devices and the at least one display device to;

(a) enable a plurality of players to place wagers at the gaming devices to play the primary game;

(b) display a play of a group bonus game having a plurality of group keno boards, each of the group keno boards including a predetermined quantity of positions, wherein each of the positions of the predetermined quantities of positions is capable of being associated with only one of the players for said play of the group bonus game;

(c) for each of the gaming devices, for each play of the primary game at said gaming device, for each one of a plurality of position award triggers that occurs in association with said play of the at least one primary game;

(i) determine at least one of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions of at least one of the group keno boards that is not associated with any of the players for said play of the group bonus game to associate with the player of said gaming device; and

(ii) associate said determined at least one of the positions with said player for said play of the group bonus game; and

(d) for a group bonus game triggering event for said play of the group bonus game, for at least one of the group keno boards;

(i) randomly select and display a designated quantity of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions of said group keno board to form a controller-selected set of positions,

(ii) determine a group bonus game outcome based on a comparison of;

(A) any of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions of said group keno board that are associated with any of the players, and

(B) the positions that are included in the controller-selected set of positions,

(iii) determine any awards to be provided to one or more of the players based on the group bonus game outcome, and

(iv) cause any determined awards to be provided to said players.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices and the at least one display device to, for each of the gaming devices, for each play of the primary game, for each one of the position award triggers that occurs in association with said play of the at least one primary game, enable the player of said gaming device to select at least one of the group keno boards, determine at least one of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions of the selected at least one group keno board to associate with said player for said play of the group bonus game, and associate said determined at least one of the positions of the selected at least one group keno board with said player for said play of the group bonus game.

12. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices and the at least one display device to, for each of the gaming devices, for each play of the primary game, for each one of the position award triggers that occurs in association with said play of the at least one primary game, randomly determine at least one of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions of the selected at least one group keno board to associate with said player for said play of the group bonus game, and associate said randomly determined at least one of the positions of the selected at least one group keno board with said player for said play of the group bonus game.

13. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein each of the group keno boards is associated with a different one of the position award triggers, and the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices and the at least one display device to, for each of the gaming devices, for each play of the primary game, for each one of the position award triggers that occurs in association with said play of the at least one primary game, determine one of the group keno boards based on said position award trigger, determine at least one of the positions of the predetermined quantity of positions of the determined group keno board to associate with said player for said play of the group bonus game, and associate said determined at least one of the positions of the determined group keno board with said player for said play of the group bonus game.