Apparatus providing payouts proportional to wagers and methods for operating same

• US 8,360,859 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEICHLITER, CHASE E
• Application Number:
  US11/456,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20060247029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,394 Days
• Field of Search: 463 10- 13, 463 16- 29, 463/40, 463/43, 463/46, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/148.R
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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 17/3262 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

Abstract

A gaming device such as a slot machine is provided having a payout proportional to a wager value. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the gaming machine provides a player with the ability to flexibly and automatically increase and decrease wagers, thereby allowing the player to press his bets when he feels lucky, and to decrease his bets when he feels unlucky. Different proportional payout tables are provided for different levels of wagers.

Claims

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

for each play of a wagering game at a gaming device;

causing at least one processor to determine a first credit balance of the gaming device for said play of the game;

enabling a player to place a wager amount of the determined first credit balance;

causing the at least one processor to determine an outcome for the play of the game;

causing the at least one processor to determine a proportional payout multiplier corresponding to the outcome, said proportional payout multiplier determined regardless of any outcome determined for any other play of any other game;

causing the at least one processor to determine a second credit balance of the gaming device for said play of the game, the second credit balance comprising a product of the placed wager amount and the determined proportional payout multiplier; and

causing the at least one processor to operate with at least one display device to display the determined second credit balance.

2. The method of claim 1, which comprises:

retrieving, from at least one memory device, the proportional payout multiplier that corresponds to the determined outcome, the memory device configured to store a plurality of outcomes and a plurality of proportional payout multipliers, wherein each proportional payout multiplier corresponding to one of the outcomes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the at least one processor to determine whether the placed wager amount is within a first predetermined range or a second predetermined range;

causing the at least one processor to determine the proportional payout multiplier to be a first proportional payout multiplier if the placed wager amount is within the first predetermined range; and

causing the at least one processor to determine the proportional payout multiplier to be a second proportional payout multiplier if the placed wager amount is within the second predetermined range.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second proportional payout multiplier is greater than the first proportional payout multiplier and a maximum of the first predetermined range is less than a minimum of the second predetermined range.

5. The method of claim 1, which comprises:

if the product of the placed wager amount and the determined proportional payout multiplier is a first number that comprises a whole number, causing the at least one processor to determine the whole number to be the second credit balance, and

if the product of the placed wager amount and the determined proportional payout multiplier is a second number that is not a whole number;

causing the at least one processor to round the product to a third number that is a whole number, and

causing the at least one processor to determine the third number to be the second credit balance.

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

causing at least one processor to determine a current credit balance of a gaming device; and

for each play of a wagering game of the gaming device;

receiving an indication from a player of a desired final credit balance of the gaming device;

causing the at least one processor to determine a desired proportional payout multiplier based on the current credit balance of the gaming device and the desired final credit balance of the gaming device;

causing the at least one processor to set a proportional payout multiplier of a payout schedule of the gaming device to the desired proportional payout multiplier;

causing at least one processor to determine one of a plurality of different outcomes for said play of said wagering game; and

if the determined outcome is a designated outcome;

(a) causing the at least one processor to apply the set proportional payout multiplier to the current credit balance of the gaming device to result in the player indicated final credit balance of the gaming device, and

(b) causing the at least one processor to operate with at least one display device to display the player indicated final credit balance of the gaming device.

7. The method of claim 6, which comprises:

causing the at least one processor to determine at least one of the plurality of different game outcomes, wherein each game outcome corresponds to a proportional payout multiplier; and

causing the at least one processor to set the proportional payout multiplier corresponding to the determined at least one game outcome to the desired proportional payout multiplier.

8. The method of claim 7, which comprises:

enabling the player to select the designated outcome.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a remainder of the game outcomes which were not set to be the desired proportional payout multiplier.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

setting a proportional payout multiplier corresponding to each of the determined remainder of the game outcomes to zero.

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

for each play of a wagering game at a gaming device;

causing at least one processor to determine an outcome for said play of the wagering game;

causing the at least one processor to determine a current credit balance of the gaming device;

if the determined outcome is a losing outcome;

(a) causing the at least one processor to determine a first new credit balance by subtracting a predetermined amount from the credit balance, and

(b) causing the at least one processor to operate with at least one display device to display the determined first new credit balance; and

if the determined outcome is a winning outcome;

(a) causing the at least one processor to determine a second new credit balance by;

(i) determining a proportional payout multiplier, said proportional payout multiplier determined regardless of any outcome determined for any other play of any other game, and

(ii) applying the determined proportional payout multiplier to a predetermined portion of the credit balance, and

(b) causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display the determined second new credit balance.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determined proportional payout multiplier is independent of any symbols comprising the winning outcome, such that a same proportional payout multiplier is applied to any outcome that is a winning outcome.

13. The method of claim 11, which comprises:

causing the at least one processor to determine the proportional payout multiplier that corresponds to the determined outcome in at least one memory device, wherein the memory device stores a plurality of winning outcomes, each winning outcome corresponding to a proportional payout multiplier.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the proportional payout multiplier is greater than one hundred percent.

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

for each play of a first game at a gaming device, causing at least one processor to;

determine a wager amount placed on said play of said first game, said wager amount being based on a first credit balance of the gaming device;

determine a first percentage, the first percentage being greater than zero and less than one hundred percent;

determine a second percentage, the second percentage being greater than one hundred percent;

determine a first outcome for the first game play;

determine whether the first outcome is a winning outcome;

regardless of any outcome determined for any other play of any other game, determine a second credit balance of the gaming device for said play of the first game by;

if the first outcome is not a winning outcome, determine said second credit balance based on a product of the first percentage and the wager amount placed on the first game play, and

if the first outcome is a winning outcome, determine said second credit balance based on a product of the second percentage and the wager amount placed on the first game play; and

causing the at least one processor to operate with at least one display device to display the determined second credit balance.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing the at least one processor to determine a portion;

causing the at least one processor to determine a current credit balance; and

the wager amount placed on the first game play comprises;

causing the at least one processor to determine the portion of the current credit balance.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising causing the at least one processor to:

determine that a second game play has been initiated at the gaming device;

determine a wager amount placed on the second game play to be the portion of the second credit balance;

determine a second outcome for the second game play;

determine whether the second outcome is a winning outcome; and

determine a third credit balance of the gaming device by;

if the second outcome is not a winning outcome, determining a product of the first percentage and the wager amount placed on the second game play, and

if the second outcome is a winning outcome, determining a product of the second percentage and the wager amount placed on the second game play.