Systems and methods for playing games of chance

• US 9,022,851 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gaming Arts LLC
• Original Assignee: Gaming Arts LLC
• Inventors: Colvin, David, Colvin, Eric D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rowland, Steve
• Application Number:
  US13/788,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20140073395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 463/19
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0645 Electric lottos or bingo games
• 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 17/3225 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 17/326 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 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Systems and methods enable one or more players to play games of chance. A system includes a memory device configured to store instructions that are executable by a processor to provide a game of chance in which a plurality of house indicia is selected from a pool of house indicia. The system also includes a processor. When the processor executes the instructions, the processor is programmed to present to a player a plurality of games or game varieties of the games, and enable the player to select one of the plurality of games or game varieties. The processor is further programmed to present a first outcome or a second outcome to the player based on which game or game variety is selected and based on whether a bonus indicia is randomly selected. The bonus indicia is included within the selected house indicia.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory device configured to store instructions that are executable to provide a plurality of games of chance or game varieties of the games of chance;

a randomization device configured to;

randomly select house indicia from a pool of house indicia for use in one or more of the plurality of games or game varieties; and

provide a random chance of selecting a bonus indicia in one or more of the plurality of games or game varieties; and

a processor coupled to said memory device for executing the instructions, wherein, when said processor executes the instructions, said processor is programmed to;

present to a player the plurality of games of chance or game varieties of the games of chance, wherein a gameplay for each game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties is different than a gameplay of each other game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

enable the player to select one of the plurality of games or game varieties;

enable the player to select a pattern to be used during the selected game or game variety, wherein the pattern is a grouping of spaces for displaying a plurality of player indicia;

in response to a determination that the player selected a first game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

present the selected first game or game variety to the player;

receive a first plurality of house indicia from said randomization device;

receive the bonus indicia from said randomization device upon a determination that said randomization device selected the bonus indicia for the first game or game variety;

present a first outcome based upon a determination that the bonus indicia was selected; and

determine whether the player wins a first prize based on a comparison of the plurality of player indicia to the first plurality of house indicia selected during the first game or game variety; and

in response to a determination that the player selected a second game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

present the selected second game or game variety to the player;

receive a second plurality of house indicia from said randomization device;

receive the bonus indicia from said randomization device upon a determination that said randomization device selected the bonus indicia for the second game or game variety;

present a second outcome based upon the determination that the bonus indicia was selected, wherein the second outcome is different from the first outcome; and

determine whether the player wins a second prize based on a comparison of the plurality of player indicia to the second plurality of house indicia selected during the second game or game variety,

wherein the bonus indicia is one of the randomly selected first or second plurality of house indicia.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to continue the selected first or second game or game variety after said processor determines that the player wins the first or second prize.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to end the selected first or second game or game variety after a predetermined number of the first or second plurality of house indicia have been selected during the first or second game or game variety.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to enable the player to switch from the first game or game variety to the second game or game variety.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said memory device comprises a wrapper program module comprising instructions that, when executed by said processor, program said processor to transfer gameplay data from the first game or game variety to the second game or game variety.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to enable the player to start the selected first or second game or game variety on a first device and obtain the result of the first or second game or game variety on a second device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to enable the player to select at least a portion of the plurality of player indicia for use in determining whether the player wins the first or second prize.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to enable the player to select at least a portion of the plurality of player indicia to be displayed within the pattern.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to determine that the player wins the first or second prize if only a portion of the plurality of player indicia within the pattern are matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first or second game or game variety.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to determine that the player wins the first or second prize even when the pattern has been matched by another player playing the selected first or second game or game variety.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to present the first outcome based on a determination that the plurality of player indicia within the pattern have been matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first or second game or game variety.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to present the first outcome upon a determination that the plurality of player indicia within the pattern have not been matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first or second game or game variety.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outcome comprises at least one of awarding a bonus play for the selected first game or game variety, awarding a bonus matching player indicia, awarding a bonus game, providing a payout to the player based on a pay table that is enhanced with respect to a pay table provided when the bonus indicia is not selected, or completing the pattern for the player.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outcome and the second outcome associated with the bonus indicia are programmable by said processor.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the bonus indicia is one of a plurality of bonus indicia that are randomly selectable by said randomization device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said randomization device is further programmed to select each bonus indicia of the plurality of bonus indicia to be one of the selected first or second plurality of house indicia.

17. A method of providing a game of chance, said method comprising:

presenting, by a processor, a plurality of games of chance or game varieties of the games of chance to a player, wherein a gameplay for each game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties is different than a gameplay of each other game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

enabling, by the processor, the player to select one of the plurality of games or game varieties;

enabling the player to select a pattern to be used during the selected game or game variety, wherein the pattern is a grouping of spaces for displaying a plurality of player indicia;

in response to a determination that the player selected a first game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

presenting, by the processor, the selected first game or game variety to the player;

randomly selecting, by a randomization device, a first plurality of house indicia from a pool of house indicia;

providing, by the randomization device, a random chance of selecting a bonus indicia;

presenting, by the processor, a first outcome based upon a determination that the bonus indicia was selected; and

determining, by the processor, whether the player wins a first prize based on a comparison of the plurality of player indicia to the first plurality of house indicia selected during the first game or game variety; and

in response to a determination that the player selected a second game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

presenting, by the processor, the selected second game or game variety to the player;

randomly selecting, by the randomization device, a second plurality of house indicia from the pool of house indicia;

providing, by the randomization device, a random chance of selecting the bonus indicia;

presenting, by the processor, a second outcome based upon the determination that the bonus indicia was selected, wherein the second outcome is different from the first outcome; and

determining, by the processor, whether the player wins a second prize based on a comparison of the plurality of player indicia to the second plurality of house indicia selected during the second game or game variety,

wherein the bonus indicia is one of the randomly selected first or second plurality of house indicia.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising continuing the selected first or second game or game variety after determining that the player wins the first or second prize.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising ending the selected first or second game or game variety after a predetermined number of the first or second plurality of house indicia have been selected during the first or second game or game variety.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising enabling the player to switch from the first game or game variety to the second game or game variety.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising transferring gameplay data from the first game or game variety to the second game or game variety.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising enabling the player to start the selected first or second game or game variety on a first device and obtain the result of the first or second game or game variety on a second device.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising enabling the player to select at least a portion of the plurality of player indicia for use in determining whether the player wins the first or second prize.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising enabling the player to select at least a portion of the plurality of player indicia to be displayed within the pattern.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining that the player wins the first or second prize if only a portion of the plurality of player indicia within the pattern are matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first or second game or game variety.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining that the player wins the first or second prize even when the pattern has been matched by another player playing the selected first or second game or game variety.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising presenting the first outcome based on a determination that the plurality of player indicia within the pattern have been matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first game or game variety.

28. The method of claim 17, further comprising presenting the first outcome upon a determination that the plurality of player indicia within the pattern have not been matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first game or game variety.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting the first outcome to be at least one of awarding a bonus play for the selected first game or game variety, awarding a bonus matching player indicia, awarding a bonus game, providing a payout to the player based on a pay table that is enhanced with respect to a pay table provided when the bonus indicia is not selected, or completing the pattern for the player.

30. The method of claim 17, further comprising changing the first outcome and the second outcome associated with the bonus indicia.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the bonus indicia is one of a plurality of bonus indicia that are randomly selectable, said method further comprising selecting each bonus indicia of the plurality of bonus indicia to be one of the selected first or second plurality of house indicia.

32. A gaming device comprising:

a memory device configured to store instructions that are executable to provide a plurality of games of chance or game varieties of the games of chance;

a payment input device configured to enable the player to input money or credits for use in the plurality of games of chance or game varieties of the games of chance;

a payment output device configured to enable the player to withdraw money or credits from said gaming device;

a randomization device configured to;

randomly select house indicia from a pool of house indicia for use in one or more of the plurality of games or game varieties; and

provide a random chance of selecting a bonus indicia in one or more of the plurality of games or game varieties; and

a processor coupled to said memory device for executing the instructions, wherein, when said processor executes the instructions, said processor is programmed to;

present to a player the plurality of games of chance or game varieties of the games of chance, wherein a gameplay for each game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties is different than a gameplay of each other game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

enable the player to select one of the plurality of games or game varieties;

enable the player to select a pattern to be used during the selected game or game variety, wherein the pattern is a grouping of spaces for displaying a plurality of player indicia;

in response to a determination that the player selected a first game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

present the selected first game or game variety to the player;

receive a first plurality of house indicia from said randomization device;

receive the bonus indicia from said randomization device upon a determination that said randomization device selected the bonus indicia for the first game or game variety;

present a first outcome based upon a determination that the bonus indicia was selected; and

determine whether the player wins a first prize based on a comparison of the plurality of player indicia to the first plurality of house indicia selected during the selected first game or game variety; and

in response to a determination that the player selected a second game or game variety of the plurality of games or game varieties;

present the selected second game or game variety to the player;

receive a second plurality of house indicia from said randomization device;

receive the bonus indicia from said randomization device upon a determination that said randomization device selected the bonus indicia for the second game or game variety;

present a second outcome based upon the determination that the bonus indicia was selected, wherein the second outcome is different from the first outcome; and

determine whether the player wins a second prize based on a comparison of the plurality of player indicia to the second plurality of house indicia selected during the selected second game or game variety,

wherein the bonus indicia is one of the randomly selected first or second plurality of house indicia.

33. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to continue the selected first or second game or game variety after said processor determines that the player wins the first or second prize.

34. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to end the selected first or second game or game variety after a predetermined number of the first or second plurality of house indicia have been selected during the first or second game or game variety.

35. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to enable the player to switch from the first game or game variety to the second game or game variety.

36. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein said memory device comprises a wrapper program module comprising instructions that, when executed by said processor, program said processor to transfer gameplay data from the first game or game variety to the second game or game variety.

37. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to enable the player to start the selected first or second game or game variety on said gaming device and obtain the result of the first or second game or game variety on another device.

38. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to enable the player to select at least a portion of the plurality of player indicia for use in determining whether the player wins the first or second prize.

39. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to enable the player to select at least a portion of the plurality of player indicia to be displayed within the pattern.

40. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to determine that the player wins the first or second prize if only a portion of the plurality of player indicia within the pattern are matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first or second game or game variety.

41. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to determine that the player wins the first or second prize even when the pattern has been matched by another player playing the selected first or second game or game variety.

42. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to present the first outcome based on a determination that the plurality of player indicia within the pattern have been matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first or second game or game variety.

43. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said processor is further programmed to present the first outcome upon a determination that the plurality of player indicia within the pattern have not been matched by the first or second plurality of house indicia selected during the first or second game or game variety.

44. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the first outcome comprises at least one of awarding a bonus play for the selected first game or game variety, awarding a bonus matching player indicia, awarding a bonus game, providing a payout to the player based on a pay table that is enhanced with respect to a pay table provided when the bonus indicia is not selected, or completing the pattern for the player.

45. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the first outcome and the second outcome associated with the bonus indicia are programmable by said processor.

46. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the bonus indicia is one of a plurality of bonus indicia that are randomly selectable by said randomization device.

47. The gaming device of claim 46, wherein said randomization device is further programmed to select each bonus indicia of the plurality of bonus indicia to be one of the selected first or second plurality of house indicia.