Gaming system and method having bonus event and bonus event award in accordance with a current wager and one or more accumulated bonus event points

• US 8,152,630 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cohen, Alexander Casey Naglestad
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duffy, David
• Application Number:
  US12/270,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 21, 463/23, 463 25- 27
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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

In one embodiment, the gaming system and method disclosed herein maintains a plurality of different bonus event average expected payouts which are ranked. In one embodiment, if a bonus event triggering condition occurs, the gaming system determines one of the plurality of different bonus event average expected payouts to utilize for the triggered bonus event. In one such embodiment, the determined bonus event average expected payout is based on a player'"'"'s current wager and a quantity of accumulated bonus event points or units. In this embodiment, the gaming system enables players to accumulate bonus event points based on one or more aspects of a player'"'"'s previous gaming experiences during a designated period of time. The gaming system then displays a bonus event to the player and determines a bonus event award, wherein the determined bonus event award is in accordance with the determined bonus event average expected payout.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; 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) maintain;

(A) a balance of accumulated bonus event points and (B) a plurality of different bonus event configurations, wherein each of said maintained bonus event configurations is associated with a bonus event average expected payout;

(b) enable a player to place a wager on each of a plurality of plays of a primary game;

(c) accumulate a quantity of bonus event points;

(d) display said plurality of primary games to the player and provide the player any primary game awards for any designated winning outcomes in any of said plurality of primary games; and

(e) for one of the plays of the primary game, if a bonus event triggering condition occurs in association with said play of the primary game;

(i) select one of said maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations for the triggered bonus event, said selection based on;

(A) the wager placed on said play of the primary game, and (B) said maintained balance of accumulated bonus event points,

(ii) randomly determine and display a bonus event award for the triggered bonus event, said bonus event award is in accordance with said bonus event average expected payout of said selected bonus event configuration and at least one random determination,

(iii) provide the player the determined bonus event award, and

(iv) subtract a quantity of bonus event points from said maintained balance of accumulated bonus event points, said quantity of bonus event points subtracted is based on the selected bonus game configuration.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to repeat (b) to (e)(iv) at least once.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the maintained balance of accumulated bonus event points is stored by a second memory device distinct from said at least one memory device.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the quantity of bonus event points accumulated is based on the wager placed.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event triggering condition occurs based on at least one displayed event in the play of the primary game.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event triggering condition occurs independent of any displayed event in any play of the primary game and independent of any plays of any triggered bonus events.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the quantity of bonus event points subtracted is based on the determined bonus event award in the triggered bonus event.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said selected bonus event configuration includes a plurality of free spins.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, for each free spin of the selected bonus event configuration, randomly determine and display a free spin game outcome and provide the player any awards for any displayed designated winning free spin game outcomes.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to:

(1) upon a first occurrence of the bonus event triggering condition, select a first one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations, said selection based on a first one of the placed wagers and a first balance of accumulated bonus event points, randomly determine and display a first bonus event award, said first bonus event award is in accordance with the bonus event average expected payout of said selected first one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations and at least one random determination, and provide the player said first bonus event award, and

(2) upon a second occurrence of the bonus event triggering condition, select a second, different one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations, said selection based on a second, different one of the placed wagers and said first balance of accumulated bonus event points, randomly determine and display a second bonus event award, said second bonus event award is in accordance with the bonus event average expected payout of said selected second, different one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations and at least one random determination, and provide the player said second bonus event award.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein said first bonus event award has a same value as a value of said second bonus event award.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to:

(1) upon a first occurrence of the bonus event triggering condition, select a first one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations, said selection based on a first one of the placed wagers and a first balance of accumulated bonus event points, randomly determine and display a first bonus event award, said first bonus event award is in accordance with the bonus event average expected payout of said selected first one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations and at least one random determination, and provide the player said first bonus event award, and

(2) upon a second occurrence of the bonus event triggering condition, select a second, different one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations, said selection based on said first one of the placed wagers and a second, different balance of accumulated bonus event points, randomly determine and display a second bonus event award, said second bonus event award is in accordance with the bonus event average expected payout of said selected second, different one of the bonus event configurations and at least one random determination, and provide the player said second bonus event award.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein said first bonus event award has a same value as a value of said second bonus event award.

14. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; 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) maintain a plurality of different bonus event configurations, each of said maintained bonus event configurations is associated with a bonus event average expected payout;

(b) maintain a balance of accumulated bonus event points for a player;

(c) enable the player to place a wager on each of a plurality of plays of a primary game;

(d) accumulate a quantity of bonus event points for the player;

(e) display said plurality of primary games to the player and provide the player any primary game awards for any designated winning outcomes in any of said plurality of primary games; and

(f) for one of the plays of the primary game, if a bonus event triggering condition occurs in association with the play of the said primary game;

(i) select one of said maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations for the triggered bonus event, said selection based on (A) the wager placed on said play of the primary game and (B) the balance of accumulated bonus event points maintained for the player,

(ii) randomly determine and display a bonus event award for the triggered bonus event, said bonus event award is in accordance with said bonus event average expected payout of said selected bonus event configuration and at least one random determination,

(iii) provide the player the determined bonus event award, and

(iv) subtract a quantity of bonus event points from the balance of accumulated bonus event points maintained for the player, said quantity of bonus event points subtracted is based on the selected bonus game configuration.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to repeat (c) to (f)(iv) at least once.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the balance of accumulated bonus event points maintained for the player is stored on a player tracking card.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the quantity of bonus event points accumulated for the player is based on the wager placed.

18. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the bonus event triggering condition occurs based on at least one displayed event in a play of the primary game.

19. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the bonus event triggering condition occurs independent of any displayed event in any play of the primary game and independent of any plays of any triggered bonus events.

20. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the quantity of bonus event points subtracted is based on the determined bonus event award in the triggered bonus event.

21. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein said selected bonus event configuration includes a plurality of free spins.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, for each free spin of the selected bonus event configuration, randomly determine and display a free spin game outcome and cause any awards for any displayed designated winning free spin game outcomes.

23. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to:

(1) upon a first occurrence of the bonus event triggering condition, select a first one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations, said selection based on a first one of the placed wagers and a first balance of accumulated bonus event points, randomly determine and display a first bonus event award, said first bonus event award is in accordance with the bonus event average expected payout of said selected first one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations and at least one random determination, and provide the player said first bonus event award, and

(2) upon a second occurrence of the bonus event triggering condition, select a second, different one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations, said selection based on a second, different one of the placed wagers and said first balance of accumulated bonus event points, randomly determine and display a second bonus event award, said second bonus event award is in accordance with the bonus event average expected payout of said selected second, different one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations and at least one random determination, and provide the player said second bonus event award.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein said first bonus event award has a same value as a value of said second bonus event award.

25. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to:

(1) upon a first occurrence of the bonus event triggering condition, select a first one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations, said selection based on a first one of the placed wagers and a first balance of accumulated bonus event points, randomly determine and display a first bonus event award, said first bonus event award is in accordance with the bonus event average expected payout of said selected first one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations and at least one random determination, and provide the player said first bonus event award, and

(2) upon a second occurrence of the bonus event triggering condition, select a second, different one of the maintained plurality of different bonus event configurations, said selection based on said first wager amount and a second, different balance of accumulated bonus event points, randomly determine and display a second bonus event award, said second bonus event award is in accordance with the bonus event average expected payout of said selected second, different one of the bonus event configurations and at least one random determination, and provide the player said second bonus event award.

26. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein said first bonus event award has a same value as a value of said second bonus event award.