Multi-card bingo game features

• US 9,449,468 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Coleman, James, Saffari, M. Ali, Bansemer, Mark, Wolf, Bryan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Jasson
• Application Number:
  US13/955,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20130316784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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

After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.

Claims

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

receiving, by at least one input device, an indication of a desired probability of winning a progressive award in a bingo game involving multiple bingo cards;

determining, by at least one processor, a progressive pattern that, when formed on a quantity of two or more of the bingo cards by a number of two or more hits, will provide an actual probability of winning the progressive award generally equal to the desired probability, wherein each of the quantity of the bingo cards is associated with at least one of the hits of the progressive pattern;

displaying, by at least one display device, the number of hits and the quantity of the bingo cards;

receiving, by an acceptor, a physical item associated with a monetary value, the physical item being one of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and currency;

establishing, by the at least one processor, a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the received physical item;

receiving an actuation of a wager button;

placing, by the at least one processor, a wager on a play of the bingo game responsive to the actuation of the wager button;

for the play of the bingo game;

(1) if a winning pattern is formed based on any individual one of the quantity of two or more bingo cards, providing a primary award; and

(2) if the progressive pattern is formed by the number of two or more hits on the quantity of two or more of the bingo cards, providing the progressive award, the credit balance increasable by any awards;

receiving an actuation of a cashout button; and

initiating, by the at least one processor, a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to the actuation of the cashout button.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, by the at least one display device, at least one pattern of hits for each of the bingo cards.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pattern is the same for each of the bingo cards.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the bingo cards indicates a designated quantity of bingo numbers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the number of two or more hits is greater than the designated quantity of bingo numbers.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the at least one processor, an average size of the progressive award based, at least in part, on the actual probability of winning the progressive award; and

displaying, by the at least one display device, the average size of the progressive award.

7. The method of claim 6, which includes determining the average size of the progressive award also based on a percentage of wagers to be contributed to a progressive award pool.

8. The method of claim 6, which includes determining the average size of the progressive award also based on a required wager per bingo card.

9. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

an acceptor;

at least one processor;

a network interface; and

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

after receiving an indication of a desired probability of winning a progressive award in a bingo game involving multiple bingo cards, each of the bingo cards having a designated quantity of bingo numbers, determine a progressive pattern that, when formed on a quantity of two or more of the bingo cards by a number of two or more hits, will provide a probability of winning the progressive award generally equal to the desired probability, wherein each of the quantity of the bingo cards is associated with at least one of the hits of the progressive pattern;

display the number of hits and the quantity of the bingo cards;

establish a credit balance based at least in part on a monetary value associated with a physical item responsive to the acceptor receiving the physical item, wherein the physical item is one of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and currency;

place a wager on a play of the bingo game responsive to an actuation of a wager button;

for the play of the bingo game;

(1) if a winning pattern is formed based on any individual one of the quantity of two or more bingo cards, provide a primary award; and

(2) if a progressive pattern is formed by the number of two or more hits on the quantity of two or more of the bingo cards, provide the progressive award, the credit balance increasable by any awards; and

initiate a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to an actuation of a cashout button.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display a pattern of hits for each of the bingo cards.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the pattern is the same for each of the bingo cards.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface configured to receive the indication of the desired probability of winning the progressive award.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to receive the designated quantity of bingo numbers and a number of bingo cards for the play of the bingo game.