Method and apparatus for providing an advantage to a player in a bonus game

• US 8,317,589 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Tessmer, Michael T., Cannon, Lee E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US13/009,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20110111841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/23
• US Class Current: 463/16
• 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 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3279 wherein the competition is one-to-one, e.g. match

Abstract

A gaming method includes receiving a wager from a player, displaying an image representative of a primary game, determining if a bonus event trigger has occurred, displaying an image representative of a bonus game, the bonus game including a representation associated with the player and a representation associated with an opponent, the representations each having at least one attribute associated with the bonus game, if the bonus event trigger occurs, and determining a payout associated with an outcome of the bonus game. The method also includes offering the player at least one advantage option, the at least one advantage option affecting at least one of the at least one attribute of the representation associated with the player and the at least one attribute of the representation associated with the opponent. A gaming machines and system may be provided to carry out such a method.

Claims

1. A gaming apparatus comprising:

a display device;

an input device;

a processor; and

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

(a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game;

(b) display said play of the primary game;

(c) determine a primary game outcome for said play of the primary game and provide to the player any awards associated with the determined primary game outcome;

(d) enable the player to purchase at least one advantage associated with a bonus game, regardless of whether a bonus game triggering event occurs, said bonus game having an average expected payout;

(e) determine whether the bonus game triggering event occurs; and

(f) if the bonus game triggering event occurs;

(i) if the player purchased said at least one advantage;

(A) enable the player to choose whether to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game;

(B) if the player chooses to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game, display at least one play of the bonus game with said at least one purchased advantage; and

(C) if the player chooses not to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game, display at least one play of the bonus game without said at least one advantage; and

(ii) if the player did not purchase said at least one advantage, display at least one play of the bonus game without said at least one advantage, wherein the average expected payout of the at least one play of the bonus game with the at least one purchased advantage is greater than the average expected payout of the bonus game without said at least one advantage.

2. A method of operating a gaming apparatus, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game;

(b) displaying said play of the primary game;

(c) determining a primary game outcome for said play of the primary game and providing to the player any awards associated with the determined primary game outcome;

(d) enabling the player to purchase at least one advantage associated with a bonus game, regardless of whether a bonus game triggering event occurs, said bonus game having an average expected payout;

(e) determining whether the bonus game triggering event occurs; and

(f) if the bonus game triggering event occurs;

(i) if the player purchased said at least one advantage;

(A) enabling the player to choose whether to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game;

(B) if the player chooses to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game, displaying at least one play of the bonus game with said at least one purchased advantage; and

(C) if the player chooses not to employ said at least one purchased advantage in the bonus game, displaying at least one play of the bonus game without said at least one purchased advantage; and

(ii) if the player did not purchase said at least one advantage, displaying at least one play of the bonus game without said at least one purchased advantage, wherein the average expected payout of the bonus game with the at least one purchased advantage is greater than the average expected payout of the bonus game without any said at least one purchased.

3. The method of claim 2, which is operated over a data network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data network is an internet.