Methods and apparatus for a competitive bonus game with variable odds

• US 8,574,066 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cannon, Lee E.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US13/333,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20120094752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/27, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/404 characterized by a local network connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• 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

Abstract

A bonus controller for generating a competitive bonus game in a gaming system, the bonus controller having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The bonus controller being programmed to: receive wagering data corresponding to a casino game, enter a first player associated with a first gaming apparatus into the competitive bonus game when the first player obtains a qualifying win at the casino game, determine odds for the first player to win the competitive bonus game, vary odds of winning the competitive bonus game for at least a second player after entering the first player into the competitive bonus game, the second player having been previously entered into the competitive bonus game, determine an outcome of the competitive bonus game, and transmit data corresponding to the outcome of the competitive bonus game to a display unit.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming apparatuses, each gaming apparatus including;

at least one display unit operable to display a primary game and a bonus game, and

at least one input device; and

at least one controller configured to operate with said gaming apparatuses to;

(a) prior to an initiation of a play of the bonus game;

(i) determine if a qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses,

(ii) if the qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses, associate at least one of a plurality of bonus game entries with said gaming apparatus, wherein each bonus game entry is associated with a probability of winning the play of the bonus game, and

(iii) thereafter, repeat (i) to (ii) at least once, wherein (i) to (ii) are repeated until the play of the bonus game is initiated, the initiation of the play of the bonus game occurring distinct from any occurrence of the qualifying event, and for each of said gaming apparatuses, each of said plurality of bonus game entries are associated with said gaming apparatus prior to the initiation of the play of the bonus game such that prior to the initiation of the play of the bonus game, each of the bonus game entries available to be associated with said gaming apparatuses for said play of the bonus game are associated with said gaming apparatuses and after the initiation of the play of the bonus game, no additional bonus game entries are associated with any of said gaming apparatuses for the initiated play of the bonus game; and

(b) when the play of the bonus game is initiated;

(i) cause at least one of said gaming apparatuses to enable a player at said gaming apparatus to elect to;

(A) not participate in the initiated play of the bonus game, or (B) participate in the initiated play of the bonus game,

(ii) if the player at said gaming apparatus makes an input to not participate in the initiated play of the bonus game, exclude any bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatus from said initiated play of the bonus game, and

(iii) if the player at said gaming apparatus makes an input to participate in the initiated play of the bonus game, determine and display an outcome for said initiated play of the bonus game, wherein said determined and displayed outcome is based on the probabilities of winning the play of the bonus game associated with the bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatuses that are not excluded from said initiated play of the bonus game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein if the player at said gaming apparatus elects to not participate in the initiated play of the bonus game, said excluded bonus game entries remain associated with said gaming apparatus for an initiation of another play of the bonus game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a quantity of associated bonus game entries is based, at least in part, on an amount wagered on at least one play of the primary game of said gaming apparatus.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the play of the bonus game is initiated based on time.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said displayed outcome for said initiated play of the bonus game is a progressive award.

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

(a) prior to an initiation of a play of a bonus game;

(i) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine if a qualifying event occurs in association with one of a plurality of gaming apparatuses,

(ii) if the qualifying event occurs in association with one of said gaming apparatuses, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate at least one of a plurality of bonus game entries with said gaming apparatus, wherein each bonus game entry is associated with a probability of winning the play of the bonus game, and

(iii) thereafter, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to repeat (i) to (ii) at least once, wherein (i) to (ii) are repeated until the play of the bonus game is initiated, the initiation of the play of the bonus game occurring distinct from any occurrence of the qualifying event, and for each of said gaming apparatuses, each of said plurality of bonus game entries are associated with said gaming apparatus prior to the initiation of the play of the bonus game such that prior to the initiation of the play of the bonus game, each of the bonus game entries available to be associated with said gaming apparatuses for said play of the bonus game are associated with said gaming apparatuses and after the initiation of the play of the bonus game, no additional bonus game entries are associated with any of said gaming apparatuses for the initiated play of the bonus game; and

(b) when the play of the bonus game is initiated;

(i) causing at least one of said gaming apparatuses to enable a player at said gaming apparatus to elect to;

(A) not participate in the initiated play of the bonus game or (B) participate in the initiated play of the bonus game,

(ii) if the player at said gaming apparatus makes an input to not participate in the initiated play of the bonus game, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to exclude any bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatus from said initiated play of the bonus game,

(iii) if the player at said gaming apparatus makes an input to participate in the initiated play of the bonus game, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an outcome for said initiated play of the bonus game, wherein said determined outcome is based on the probabilities of winning the play of the bonus game associated with the bonus game entries associated with said gaming apparatuses that are not excluded from said initiated play of the bonus game, and

(iv) causing at least one display device to display the determined outcome.

7. The method of claim 6, if the player at said gaming apparatus elects to not participate in the initiated play of the bonus game, said excluded bonus game entries remain associated with said gaming apparatus for an initiation of another play of the bonus game.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a quantity of associated bonus game entries is based, at least in part, on an amount wagered on at least one play of a primary game of said gaming apparatus.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the play of the bonus game is initiated based on time.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said displayed outcome for said initiated play of the bonus game is a progressive award.

11. The method of claim 6, which is executed through a data network.

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