Gaming system, gaming device and method for providing an outcome enhancing feature

• US 9,495,842 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Bigelow, Robert F. Jr., Ennis, Damien C., Khamis, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Application Number:
  US14/140,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 463/19, 463/21, 463/23, 463/40, 273/138, 273/139
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

An embodiment of a gaming device includes a game having at least three choices, wherein each of the choices either trumps or is trumped by one of the other choices, and a processor programmed to determine if an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable a player to elect to enhance an outcome if an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable the player to select one of said choices, select one of said choices, determine an outcome based on a comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the processor'"'"'s choice, provide a win outcome if the player elected to enhance an outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the processor'"'"'s choice results in a draw determination, provide a draw outcome if the player elected to enhance an outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the processor'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination.

Claims

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

(a) if a physical item associated with a monetary value is received by an acceptor, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to establish a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine when an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied in association with a play of a game including at least different three choices, wherein each of the choices either trumps or is trumped by at least one of the other choices, and a win outcome, a draw outcome and a lose outcome, wherein the win outcome is associated with a greater average expected payout than the draw outcome and the draw outcome is associated with a greater average expected payout than the lose outcome,

(c) enabling a player to elect to enhance at least one outcome when the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied,

(d) enabling the player to select one of said choices,

(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to select one of said choices,

(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an outcome based on a comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice,

(g) providing the win outcome to the player when the player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice results in a draw determination for the player,

(h) providing the draw outcome to the player when the player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination for the player, and

(i) if a cashout input is received by a cashout device, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes providing the win outcome when the player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes providing a modified win outcome when the player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice results in a win determination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied upon the occurrence of at least one of:

the player placing a designated wager amount on the game, the player receiving a predetermined outcome, the player receiving a designated number of outcomes, the player receiving a designated number of points, the player receiving a designated number of awards, the player completing a designated number of games, a passage of a designated amount of time, a display of a designated symbol, a display of a designated symbol combination, a spinning of at least one wheel a designated number of times; and

a spinning of at least one reel a designated number of times.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes causing at least one display device to display a progress indicator for indicating the status of the outcome enhancing condition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when the player elects to enhance at least one outcome, the win outcome is associated with an average expected payout greater than the average expected payout of a draw outcome when the outcome enhancing condition is not satisfied or the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied and the player does not elect to enhance at least one outcome.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied and the player elects to enhance at least one outcome, the draw outcome is associated with an average expected payout greater than the average expected payout of the lose outcome when the outcome enhancing condition is not satisfied or the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied and the player elects not to enhance at least one outcome.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the outcomes includes an amount of non-monetary credits.

9. The method of claim 1, which is provided through a data network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) if a physical item associated with a monetary value is received by an acceptor, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to establish a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine when an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied,

(c) when the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enabling a first player at a first one of a plurality of gaming devices to elect to enhance at least one outcome in a play of a game including at least three different choices, wherein each of the choices either trumps or is trumped by at least one of the other choices,

(d) enabling the first player to select one of the choices,

(e) enabling a second player at a second one of the plurality of gaming devices to select one of the choices,

(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an outcome based on a comparison between the first player'"'"'s choice and the second player'"'"'s choice,

(g) providing a win outcome to the first player when the first player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the first player'"'"'s choice with the second player'"'"'s choice results in a draw determination for the first player,

(h) providing a draw outcome to the first player when the first player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the first player'"'"'s choice with the second player'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination for the first player, and

(i) if a cashout input is received by a cashout device, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes providing a win outcome when the first player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the first player'"'"'s choice with the second player'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination for the first player.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes providing a modified win outcome when the first player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the first player'"'"'s choice with the second player'"'"'s choice results in a win determination for the first player.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the outcome enhancing condition is at least one of:

the first player placing a designated wager amount on the game, the first player receiving a predetermined outcome, the first player receiving a predetermined number of outcomes, the first player completing a designated number of games, the first player receiving a designated number of points, the first player receiving a designated number of awards, a passage of a designated amount of time, a display of a designated symbol, a display of a designated symbol combination, a spinning of at least one wheel a designated number of times; and

a spinning of at least one reel a designated number of times.

15. The method of claim 11, which includes causing at least one display device to display a progress indicator for indicating the status of the outcome enhancing condition.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the outcomes includes an amount of non-monetary credits.

17. The method of claim 11, which is provided through a data network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data network is an internet.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

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

(b) determine when an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied in association with a play of a game including at least different three choices, wherein each of the choices either trumps or is trumped by at least one of the other choices, and a win outcome, a draw outcome and a lose outcome, wherein the win outcome is associated with a greater average expected payout than the draw outcome and the draw outcome is associated with a greater average expected payout than the lose outcome,

(c) enable a player to elect to enhance at least one outcome when the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied,

(d) enable the player to select one of said choices,

(e) select one of said choices,

(f) determine an outcome based on a comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice,

(g) provide the win outcome to the player when the player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice results in a draw determination for the player,

(h) provide the draw outcome to the player when the player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination for the player, and

(i) if a cashout input is received by a cashout device, initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to provide the win outcome when the player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to provide a modified win outcome when the player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the player'"'"'s choice with the at least one processor'"'"'s choice results in a win determination.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied upon the occurrence of at least one of:

the player placing a designated wager amount on the game, the player receiving a predetermined outcome, the player receiving a designated number of outcomes, the player receiving a designated number of points, the player receiving a designated number of awards, the player completing a designated number of games, a passage of a designated amount of time, a display of a designated symbol, the display of a designated symbol combination, a spinning of at least one wheel a designated number of times; and

a spinning of at least one reel a designated number of times.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause at least one display device to display a progress indicator for indicating the status of the outcome enhancing condition.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein when the player elects to enhance at least one outcome, the win outcome is associated with an average expected payout greater than the average expected payout of a draw outcome when the outcome enhancing condition is not satisfied or the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied and the player does not elect to enhance at least one outcome.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein when the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied and the player elects to enhance at least one outcome, the draw outcome is associated with an average expected payout greater than the average expected payout of the lose outcome when the outcome enhancing condition is not satisfied or the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied and the player elects not to enhance at least one outcome.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein at least one of the outcomes includes an amount of non-monetary credits.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

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

(b) determine when an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied,

(c) when the outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable a first player at a first one of a plurality of gaming devices to elect to enhance at least one outcome of a play of a game including at least three different choices, wherein each of the choices either trumps or is trumped by at least one of the other choices,

(d) enable the first player to select one of the choices,

(e) enable a second player at a second one of the plurality of gaming devices to select one of the choices,

(f) determine an outcome based on a comparison between the first player'"'"'s choice and the second player'"'"'s choice,

(g) provide a win outcome to the first player when the first player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the first player'"'"'s choice with the second player'"'"'s choice results in a draw determination for the first player,

(h) provide a draw outcome to the first player when the first player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the first player'"'"'s choice with the second player'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination for the first player, and

(i) if a cashout input is received by a cashout device, initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to provide a win outcome when the first player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the first player'"'"'s choice with the second player'"'"'s choice results in a lose determination for the first player.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to provide a modified win outcome when the first player elected to enhance at least one outcome and the comparison of the first player'"'"'s choice with the second player'"'"'s choice results in a win determination for the first player.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the outcome enhancing condition is at least one of:

the first player placing a designated wager amount on the game, the first player receiving a predetermined outcome, the first player receiving a predetermined number of outcomes, the player completing a designated number of games, the first player receiving a designated number of points, the first player receiving a designated number of awards, a passage of a designated amount of time, a display of a designated symbol, a display of a designated symbol combination, the spinning of at least one wheel a designated number of times; and

a spinning of at least one reel a designated number of times.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause at least one display device to display a progress indicator for indicating the status of the outcome enhancing condition.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein at least one of the outcomes includes an amount of non-monetary credits.