Gaming device method and apparatus employing modified payouts

• US 9,437,077 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Friesen, Scott T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US14/811,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20150332556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• 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 17/3262 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

The invention includes a system and method for a gaming device to determine when to offer a player an opportunity to play using a “jackpot only” pay table. The player may choose to accept the gaming device'"'"'s offer to switch from using a conventional pay table to using a pay table that only pays top payout amounts. Play with a jackpot only pay table may only require a small wager amount as compared to play with a conventional pay table. Play with a jackpot only pay table may be automated to generate outcomes quickly to allow a player to relatively inexpensively avoid spending time playing a gaming device perceived to be in a “cold period.”

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

at least one display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor, and

(ii) a cashout device;

at least one processor; and

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

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(b) receive an input to play a wagering game in one of;

a first mode and a second mode, wherein;

(i) the first mode requires a first wager amount,

(ii) the first mode includes a first paytable for the play of the wagering game, the first paytable having;

(A) a first plurality of different winning outcomes, each of said first plurality of different winning outcomes associated with one of a first plurality of different awards, and

(B) a first average expected payout,

(iii) the second mode requires a second, different wager amount, and

(iv) the second mode includes a second, different paytable for the play of the wagering game, the second, different paytable having;

(A) a second, different plurality of different winning outcomes, each of said second, different plurality of different winning outcomes associated with one of a second, different plurality of different awards, and

(B) a second, different average expected payout;

(c) if the input to play the wagering game in the first mode is received;

(i) randomly determine a first game outcome,

(ii) display the randomly determined first game outcome, and

(iii) if the randomly determined first game outcome is one of the first plurality of different winning outcomes;

(A) determine one of the first plurality of different awards associated with the randomly determined first game outcome, and

(B) display the determined one of the first plurality of different awards associated with the randomly determined first game outcome,

(d) if the input to play the wagering game in the second mode is received;

(i) randomly determine a second game outcome,

(ii) display the randomly determined second game outcome, and

(iii) if the randomly determined second game outcome is one of the second, different plurality of different winning outcomes;

(A) determine one of the second, different plurality of different awards associated with the randomly determined second game outcome, and

(B) display the determined one of the second, different plurality of different awards associated with the randomly determined second game outcome, and

(e) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second wager amount is greater than the first wager amount.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the second average expected payout of the second paytable is greater than the first average expected payout of the first paytable.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of different winning outcomes includes a first quantity of winning outcomes and the second, different plurality of different winning outcomes includes a second, different quantity of winning outcomes.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second, different plurality of different winning outcomes includes a designated winning outcome.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game outcome and the second game outcome are the same game outcome.

7. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

at least one display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor, and

(ii) a cashout device;

at least one processor; and

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

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(b) determine whether to switch from;

(i) a first mode requiring a first wager amount and including a first payout table for at least one play of a wagering game, to

(ii) a second mode requiring a second different wager amount and including a second different payout table for said at least one play of the wagering game, wherein the first payout table has;

(A) a first quantity of different winning outcomes,

(B) a first quantity of different awards associated with said winning outcomes,

(C) a first average payout for all of said winning outcomes, and

(D) a first quantity of losing outcomes, and

wherein the second payout table has;

(A) a second quantity of winning outcomes, said second quantity of winning outcomes being less than said first quantity of winning outcomes;

(B) a second quantity of awards associated with said second quantity of winning outcomes; and

(C) a second quantity of losing outcomes, said second quantity of losing outcomes being greater than said first quantity of losing outcomes;

(c) if the determination is made to switch from the first mode to the second mode, display information associated with the switch from the first mode to the second mode; and

(d) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the first quantity of winning outcomes includes a designated winning outcome.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the second quantity of awards includes a designated award associated with said designated winning outcome.

10. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the second quantity of winning outcomes only includes a single winning outcome.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the second quantity of awards only includes a single designated award associated with said designated winning outcome.

12. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the second quantity of losing outcomes includes all of the first quantity of losing outcomes.

13. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

at least one display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor, and

(ii) a cashout device;

at least one processor; and

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

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(b) determine whether to switch from a first mode including a first payout table for at least one play of a wagering game to a second mode including a second, different payout table for said at least one play of the wagering game,

wherein the first payout table has;

(a) a plurality of different winning outcomes,

(b) a plurality of different awards associated with the different winning outcomes,

(c) a first average payout for all of the winning outcomes, and

(d) a first plurality of different losing outcomes, and

wherein the second payout table has;

(a) a single designated winning outcome,

(b) a single designated award associated with said single designated winning outcome, and

(c) a second plurality of different losing outcomes,

(c) if the determination is made to switch from the first mode to the second mode, display information associated with the switch from the first mode to the second mode; and

(d) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of different winning outcomes includes the single designated winning outcome.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of different awards includes the single designated award.

16. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of different awards includes the single designated award.

17. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the second plurality of losing outcomes includes all of the first plurality of losing outcomes.

18. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the first payout mode requires a first wager amount and the second payout mode requires a second different wager amount.

19. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the first payout mode requires a first wager amount and the second payout mode requires a second lesser wager amount.