Wagering game providing player options for time-based special event

• US 8,187,089 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2010
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Englman, Allon G., Homik, Jeremy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIM, SENG HENG
• Application Number:
  US12/716,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming system for playing a wagering game includes a display for displaying a base game of the wagering game in response to receiving a play wager from a player. The gaming system further includes a controller coupled to the display and programmed to determine a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player based on a base wager. At least one of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time is a function of both the base wager and the play wager. A bonus game is triggered and, if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, the player is allowed to participate in the bonus game. In response to receiving a player selection, the bonus multiplier is modified based on changes to the bonus eligibility time.

Claims

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

a display for displaying a base game of the wagering game in response to receiving a play wager from a player; and

a controller coupled to the display and programmed to

determine a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player based on a base wager, at least one of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and the play wager,

trigger a bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event,

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allow the player to participate in the bonus game,

provide a plurality of player-selectable options including a first option and a second option, the first option indicating a first value of the bonus multiplier associated with a first value of the bonus eligibility time, the second option indicating a second value of the bonus multiplier associated with a second value of the bonus eligibility time, the first value of the bonus multiplier being different than the second value of the bonus multiplier, the first value of the bonus eligibility time being different than the second value of the bonus eligibility time and

in response to receiving a player selection of one of the options of the player-selectable options, modify current values of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time to respective values of the selected option.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein additional time is added to the bonus eligibility time of the player for each additional play wager provided by the player.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to present on the display a graphical animation that shows the bonus multiplier in numerical form.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the graphical animation changes size as a function of the bonus multiplier.

5. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the graphical animation is customizable based on game play results.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the player receives an individual award that is specific to the player.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus multiplier is represented via a numerical representation on the display.

8. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a display for displaying a base game of the wagering game in response to receiving a play wager from a player; and

a controller coupled to the display and programmed to

determine a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player based on a base wager, at least one of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and the play wager,

trigger a bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event,

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allow the player to participate in the bonus game,

in response to receiving a player selection, modify the bonus multiplier based on changes to the bonus eligibility time, and

provide a selection menu having a plurality of player-selectable time-burst options, each time-burst option being associated with a decrease in the bonus time eligibility and an increase in the bonus multiplier.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the selection menu is a pop-up window that is displayed in response to the player pressing a cash-out button.

10. A method of conducting a wagering game via a gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a play wager from a player for playing a base game of the wagering game;

in response to receiving the player wager, displaying the base game on a display of a gaming machine;

based on a base wager, determining a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player, at least one of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and the play wager;

triggering a bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event, the bonus game being displayed on the display of the gaming machine or on another display of the gaming machine;

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allowing the player to participate in the bonus game;

providing a plurality of player-selectable options including a first option and a second option, the first option indicating a first value of the bonus multiplier associated with a first value of the bonus eligibility time, the second option indicating a second value of the bonus multiplier associated with a second value of the bonus eligibility time, the first value of the bonus multiplier being different than the second value of the bonus multiplier, the first value of the bonus eligibility time being different than the second value of the bonus eligibility time; and

in response to receiving a player selection of one of the options of the player-selectable options, modifying current values of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time to respective values of the selected option.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising increasing the bonus multiplier in response to the player selecting a reduction in the bonus eligibility time.

12. A method of conducting a wagering game via a gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a play wager from a player for playing a base game of the wagering game;

in response to receiving the player wager, displaying the base game on a display of a gaming machine;

based on a base wager, determining a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player, at least one of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and the play wager;

triggering a bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event, the bonus game being displayed on the display of the gaming machine or on another display of the gaming machine;

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allowing the player to participate in the bonus game;

in response to player adjustment to the bonus eligibility time, modifying the bonus multiplier; and

selecting from a player menu one of a plurality of player-selectable time-burst options, each of the time-burst options providing a decrease in the bonus time eligibility and an increase in the bonus multiplier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the player menu is a pop-up menu that is automatically displayed when the player cashes out.

14. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a display for displaying a base game of the wagering game in response to receiving a play wager from a player; and

a controller coupled to the display and programmed to

receive a selection from an operator to set a base wager,

determine a bonus multiplier and a bonus eligibility time for the player, each of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and the play wager,

trigger a bonus game in response to a bonus triggering event,

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available to the player when the bonus game is triggered, allow the player to participate in the bonus game,

receive a player selection of one of a plurality of player-selectable options including a first option and a second option, the first option indicating a first value of the bonus multiplier associated with a first value of the bonus eligibility time, the second option indicating a second value of the bonus multiplier associated with a second value of the bonus eligibility time, the first value of the bonus multiplier being different than the second value of the bonus multiplier, the first value of the bonus eligibility time being different than the second value of the bonus eligibility time,

in response to the player selection, modify current values of the bonus multiplier and the bonus eligibility time to respective values of the selected one of the plurality of player-selectable options, and

multiply any awards received in the bonus game in accordance with the bonus multiplier.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein a graphical animation is presented on the display to represent the bonus multiplier, the graphical animation changing size as a function of the bonus multiplier.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the controller is further programmed to provide customization options for changing appearance aspects of the graphical animation in response to game play results.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further programmed to

determine a second bonus multiplier and a second bonus eligibility time for a second player, each of the second bonus multiplier and the second bonus eligibility time being a function of both the base wager and a second play wager received from the second player,

if sufficient bonus eligibility time is available for the second player when the bonus game is triggered, allow the player to participate in the bonus game, and

multiply any awards received by the second player in the bonus game in accordance with the second bonus multiplier.