Gaming device having a game with multiple selections and progressive game incrementation

• US 8,210,937 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2011
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cregan, Karen M., Rodgers, Paulina, Baerlocher, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US13/080,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20110183750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463 25- 28
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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

A gaming device having a game involving a plurality of selections and at least one progressive game increment associated with at least one of the selections. The gaming device has a progressive award which is displayable if the player picks a selection associated with a progressive game increment.

Claims

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager to play a base game;

(b) for the play of the base game;

(i) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to randomly generate a base game outcome,

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any base game award associated with the randomly generated base game outcome,

(iii) displaying any determined base game award, and

(iv) providing any determined base game award to the player; and

(c) if a triggering condition occurs;

(i) displaying a plurality of selections in a play of a bonus game,

(ii) enabling the player to pick at least one of the selections in said play of the bonus game, and

(iii) if the player picks one of the selections which has a progressive game increment associated with said selection, causing;

(A) an amount of a progressive award to increase by a designated amount; and

(B) a display of the increased progressive award.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to maintain the progressive award.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes providing a total number of picks of the selections for the player for said play of the bonus game.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the designated amount is predetermined.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes, after increasing the progressive award, providing the progressive award to the player in said play of the bonus game.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes providing the progressive award to the player if the player picks a designated combination of the selections in said play of the bonus game.

7. The method of claim 1, which includes associating a plurality of additional awards with the plurality of selections.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the additional awards are selected from the group consisting of:

a number of credits, a number of award multipliers, a number of picks from a prize pool, a number of additional picks of the selections, a number of free activations, an advance indicator and any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said play of the bonus game occurs after an occurrence of a randomly determined triggering condition.

10. The method of claim 1, which is provided through a data network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager to play a base game;

(b) for the play of the base game;

(i) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to randomly generate a base game outcome,

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any base game award associated with the randomly generated base game outcome,

(iii) causing at least one display device to display any determined base game award, and

(iv) providing any determined base game award; and

(c) if a triggering condition occurs;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of bonus game awards with a plurality of selections,

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a progressive game increment with one of said selections,

(iii) causing the at least one display device to display the plurality of selections,

(iv) enabling the player to pick at least one of the selections which is unpicked, and

(v) providing any bonus game award associated with the at least one picked selection to the player, and if the player picks the selection having the associated progressive game increment, causing an amount of a progressive award to increase by a designated amount.

13. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to repeat (c)(iv) and (c)(v) if a predetermined condition is satisfied.

14. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to maintain the progressive award.

15. The method of claim 12, which includes providing a total number of picks of the selections for the player.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the designated amount is predetermined.

17. The method of claim 12, which includes providing the progressive award to the player if the player picks a designated combination of the selections.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the awards are selected from the group consisting of:

a number of credits, a number of award multipliers, a number of picks from a prize pool, a number of additional picks of the selections, a number of free activations, an advance indicator and any combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 12, which includes providing the progressive award to the player upon an occurrence of a predetermined event.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the display of said selections occurs after an occurrence of a randomly determined triggering condition.

21. The method of claim 12, which is provided through a data network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager to play a base game;

(b) for the play of the base game;

(i) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to randomly generate a base game outcome,

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any base game award associated with the randomly generated base game outcome,

(iii) causing at least one display device to display any determined base game award, and

(iv) providing any determined base game award; and

(c) if a triggering condition occurs;

(i) causing the at least one display device to display a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, at least one of the first selections associated with a bonus game award, and at least one of the first selections associated with a progressive award incrementor,

(ii) causing the at least one display device to display a second selection group having at least one second selection associated with a progressive award having a value, said value of the progressive award determined at least in part on whether the first selection associated with the progressive award incrementor is selected by the player, and

(iii) providing the player the progressive award if the player picks a designated number of first and second selections associated with the progressive award, said designated number being at least one.

24. The method of claim 23, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to maintain the progressive award.

25. The method of claim 23, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of additional awards with the selections.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the additional awards are selected from the group consisting of:

a number of credits, a number of award multipliers, a number of picks from a prize pool, a number of additional picks from the selection groups, a number of free activations, an advance indicator and any combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 23, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a predetermined value with the progressive award incrementor.

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

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the data network is an internet.