Rotor-based gaming device having a secondary award system

• US 8,342,941 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nicely, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, WEI
• Application Number:
  US13/542,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20120276978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 180 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/20, 463/25, 273/274
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A game system including a plurality of symbols, a rotor and an award amount. The plurality of symbols include at least one secondary award group of the symbols. A wager is placeable on the secondary award group. The rotor displays the symbols and a plurality of ball landings adjacent to the symbols. A plurality of the symbols are indicatable after multiple spins of the rotor. The game system is operable to provide a secondary award based on the indication of one or more symbols within the secondary award group.

Claims

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

causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one input device and at least one display device to;

(a) receive a first secondary wager from a player, each secondary wager being associated with a streak game that is associated with a plurality of consecutive plays of a wagering game, said first secondary wager being in addition to any wagers placed on each said play of the wagering game, wherein;

(i) the wagering game includes a rotor displaying a plurality of different outcomes and a plurality of ball landings positioned adjacent to the outcomes,

(ii) the streak game includes a streak having a streak continuation condition,

(iii) the streak game includes a secondary award group of the outcomes, and

(iv) the streak continuation condition is satisfied when an outcome of a play of the wagering game is one of the outcomes of the secondary award group;

(b) for a first play of the wagering game;

(i) determine an outcome of the first play of the wagering game, the outcome of the first play of the wagering game being one of the plurality of different outcomes;

(ii) if the outcome of the first play of the wagering game satisfies the streak continuation condition;

(A) display and provide a first streak award to the player, the first streak award being based on the first secondary wager; and

(B) enable the player to place a second secondary wager associated with the streak game using at least a portion of said first streak award; and

(iii) if the outcome of the first play of the wagering game does not satisfy the streak continuation condition, end the streak game; and

(c) if the outcome of the first play of the wagering game satisfies the streak continuation condition, for a second consecutive play of the wagering game following the first play of the wagering game;

(i) determine an outcome of the second play of the wagering game, the outcome of the second play of the wagering game being one of the plurality of different outcomes;

(ii) if the outcome of the second play of the wagering game satisfies the streak continuation condition;

(A) display and provide a second streak award to the player, the second streak award being based on the first secondary wager;

(B) if the player placed the second secondary wager, display and provide a third streak award to the player, the third streak award being based on the second secondary wager; and

(C) enable the player to place a third secondary wager associated with the streak game using at least a portion of the second streak award or the third streak award; and

(iii) if the outcome of the second play of the wagering game does not satisfy the streak continuation condition, end the streak game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary award group is one of a plurality of secondary award groups of the outcomes that are player selectable.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to, if the outcome of the second play of the wagering game satisfies the streak continuation condition, for a third consecutive play of the wagering game following the second play of the wagering game:

(i) determine an outcome of the third play of the wagering game, the outcome of the third play of the wagering game being one of the plurality of different outcomes;

(ii) if the outcome of the third play of the wagering game satisfies the streak continuation condition;

(A) display and provide a fourth streak award to the player, the fourth streak award being based on the first secondary wager;

(B) if the player placed the second secondary wager, display and provide a fifth streak award to the player, the fifth streak award being based on the second secondary wager; and

(C) if the player placed the third secondary wager, display and provide a sixth streak award to the player, the sixth streak award being based on the third secondary wager; and

(D) enable the player to place a fourth secondary wager associated with the streak game using at least a portion of the fourth streak award, the fifth streak award, or the sixth streak award; and

(iii) if the outcome of the third play of the wagering game does not satisfy the streak continuation condition, end the streak game.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein an amount of the fourth streak award is greater than an amount of the second streak award, which is greater than an amount of the first streak award.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an amount of the second streak award is greater than an amount of the first streak award.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wagering game is a Roulette-related game.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if the outcome of the first play of the wagering game satisfies the streak continuation condition, the outcome of the second play of the wagering game does not satisfy the streak continuation condition if the outcome of the second play of the wagering game is the same as the outcome of the first play of the wagering game.

8. The method of claim 1, which includes, if the outcome of the second play of the wagering game satisfies a streak suspension condition, for a third consecutive play of the wagering game following the second play of the wagering game:

(i) determine an outcome of the third play of the wagering game, the outcome of the third play of the wagering game being one of the plurality of different outcomes;

(ii) if the outcome of the third play of the wagering game satisfies the streak continuation condition;

(A) display and provide the second streak award to the player;

(B) if the player placed the second secondary wager, display and provide the third streak award to the player; and

(C) enable the player to place the third secondary wager associated with the streak game using at least a portion of the second streak award or the third streak award; and

(iii) if the outcome of the third play of the wagering game does not satisfy the streak continuation condition, end the streak game.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the outcome of the second play of the wagering game satisfies the streak suspension condition if the outcome of the second play of the wagering game is the same as the outcome of the first play of the wagering game.

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:

causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one input device and at least one display device to;

(a) receive a first secondary wager from a player, each secondary wager being associated with a streak game that is associated with a plurality of consecutive plays of a wagering game, said first secondary wager being in addition to any wagers placed on each said play of the wagering game, wherein;

(i) the wagering game includes a rotor displaying a plurality of different outcomes and a plurality of ball landings positioned adjacent to the outcomes,

(ii) the streak game includes a streak having a streak continuation condition,

(iii) the streak game includes a secondary award group of the outcomes, and

(iv) the streak continuation condition is satisfied when an outcome of a play of the wagering game is one of the outcomes of the secondary award group,

(b) for a first play of the wagering game;

(i) determine an outcome of the first play of the wagering game, the outcome of the first play of the wagering game being one of the plurality of different outcomes;

(ii) the outcome of the first play of the wagering game satisfies a termination condition, end the streak game; and

(iii) if the outcome of the first play of the wagering game does not satisfy the termination condition, satisfies the streak continuation condition, and satisfies a streak award condition;

(A) display and provide a first streak award to the player, the first streak award being based on the first secondary wager; and

(B) enable the player to place a second secondary wager associated with the streak game using at least a portion of said first streak award; and

(c) if the outcome of the first play of the wagering game does not satisfy the termination condition and satisfies the streak continuation condition, for a second play of the wagering game following the first play of the wagering game;

(i) determine an outcome of the second play of the wagering game, the outcome of the second play of the wagering game being one of the plurality of different outcomes;

(ii) if the outcome of the second play of the wagering game satisfies the termination condition, end the streak game; and

(iii) if the outcome of the second play of the wagering game does not satisfy the termination condition, satisfies the streak continuation condition, and satisfies the streak award condition;

(A) display and provide a second streak award to the player, the second streak award being based on the first secondary wager;

(B) if the player placed the second secondary wager, display and provide a third streak award to the player, the third streak award being based on the second secondary wager; and

(C) enable the player to place a third secondary wager associated with the streak game using at least a portion of the second streak award or the third streak award.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the termination condition is satisfied when at least two plays of the wagering game that are associated with the streak game result in an identical one of the outcomes of the secondary award group of the outcomes.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the termination condition is satisfied when a designated quantity of plays of the wagering game associated with the streak game each result in outcomes not included in the secondary award group of the outcomes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the designated quantity is one.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the termination condition is satisfied when all of the outcomes of the secondary award group of the outcomes have been obtained in plays of the wagering game associated with the streak game.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the termination condition is satisfied when a designated quantity of the outcomes of the secondary award group of the outcomes have been obtained in plays of the wagering game associated with the streak game.

18. The method of claim 12, which includes, when two plays of the wagering game associated with the streak game result in an identical one of the outcomes of the secondary award group of the outcomes, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to provide the player with a suspension condition, the suspension condition being configured to:

(a) suspend a future satisfaction of the termination condition, and (b) satisfy the continuation condition.

19. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, when a suspension condition is satisfied, suspend the satisfaction of the termination condition and satisfy the continuation condition.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the suspension condition is satisfied when a designated quantity of outcomes outside of the secondary award group of the outcomes have been obtained by a plurality of plays of the wagering game associated with the streak game, said designated quantity being at least one.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein an outcome indication pattern is associated with the outcomes, the outcome indication pattern specifying a plurality of consecutive outcomes of the wagering game, at least one of said outcomes being within the secondary award group.

22. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a pattern tracker to display said plurality of consecutive outcomes of the wagering game.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the wagering game is a Roulette-related game.

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

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