Gaming device and method providing a plurality of plays of a background game resulting in a single award for the player

• US 8,152,624 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Gerrard, Peter, Wolf, Bryan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US11/853,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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

Abstract

A gaming device, system and method which enables a player to apply a large wager amount to a plurality of plays of a background game in increments or portions. The gaming device apportions or applies the large wager amount to a plurality of plays of a background game. The gaming device displays a play of the primary game to the player that provides a primary game outcome which has an award equal to the amount of the sum of the background game results.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device configured to display a primary game having a paytable that includes a plurality of awards;

at least one input device; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a single wager to be made by a player on a play of the primary game;

(b) automatically allocate a plurality of portions of said single wager to a plurality of plays of a background game and cause the plurality of plays of the background game without displaying the plays of the background game and without indicating to the player the plays of the background game;

(c) for each said play of said background game, independently randomly determine a background game result from a plurality of different background game results, wherein each of the plurality of the background game results can be randomly determined for any number of the plays of the background game;

(d) determine a primary game outcome for the play of the primary game that is associated with an award equal to a sum of the background game results based on the paytable;

(e) display the determined primary game outcome; and

(f) display said award.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes at least two different types of background games.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least two of the portions of the wager are different amounts.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when said plurality of instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor determines a number of said plays of said background game.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor resides remote from a housing which supports said at least one display device and said at least one input device.

6. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device configured to display a primary game;

at least one input device; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a single wager to be made by a player on a play of the primary game;

(b) automatically allocate a plurality of portions of said single wager to a plurality of plays of a background game and cause the plurality of plays of the background game without displaying the plays of the background game and without indicating to the player the plays of the background game;

(c) determine a combined background game result from a plurality of different background game results based on background game results of each said play of said background game, wherein each of the background game results is determined independently from the other background game results of the plays of the background game and each of the plurality of the background game results can be randomly determined for any number of the plays of the background game;

(d) display the play of the primary game;

(e) display an outcome for said play of the primary game which is associated with an award equal to the combined background game result; and

(f) display said award.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, which includes at least two different types of background games.

8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein at least two of the portions of the wager are different amounts.

9. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein at least two of the portions of the wager are different amounts.

10. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein when said plurality of instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor determines a number of said plays of said background game.

11. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein said combined background game result is a sum of each background game result.

12. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor resides remote from a housing which supports the at least one display device and the at least one input device.

13. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a single wager to be made by a player on a play of a primary game having a paytable including a plurality of awards;

(b) automatically allocating a plurality of portions of said single wager to a plurality of plays of a background game and causing the plurality of plays of the background game without displaying the plays of the background game and without indicating to the player the plays of the background game;

(c) for each said play of said background game, independently randomly determining a background game result from a plurality of different background game results, wherein each of the plurality of the background game results can be randomly determined for any number of the plays of the background game;

(d) determining a primary game outcome for the play of the primary game that is associated with an award equal to a sum of the background game results based on the paytable;

(e) displaying the determined primary game outcome; and

(f) displaying the award.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes providing at least two different types of background games.

15. The method of claim 13, which includes causing at least two of the portions of the wager to be different amounts.

16. The method claim 13, which is provided through a data network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data network is an internet.

18. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a wager to be made by a player on a play of the primary game;

(b) automatically allocating a plurality of portions of said single wager to a plurality of plays of a background game and causing the plurality of plays of the background game without displaying the plays of the background game and without indicating to the player the plays of the background game;

(c) determining a background game result for each of said plays of the background game, wherein each background game result is determined independently from the other background game results and each of a plurality of the background game results can be randomly determined for any number of the plays of the background game;

(d) determining a combined background game result based on the background game results of each said play of said background game;

(e) displaying the play of the primary game;

(f) displaying an outcome for said play of the primary game which is associated with an award equal to the combined background game result; and

(g) displaying said award.

19. The method of claim 18, which includes providing at least two different types of background games.

20. The method of claim 18, which includes causing at least two of the portions of the wager to be different amounts.

21. The method of claim 18, which includes determining the portions of the wager based on an amount of the wager.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said combined background game result is a sum of each background game result.

23. The method claim 18, which is provided through a data network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the data network is an internet.