Method and apparatus for competitive bonus games based upon strategy or skill

• US 9,508,223 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cannon, Lee E.
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US14/627,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20150161849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

The present invention relates to gaming systems and methods where enablement for play of a bonus game is linked to play of a primary game. A player may qualify for the bonus game by preselected criteria associated with play of the primary game. The qualified players may participate in the bonus game and compete against one another in one or more rounds to achieve a final winning outcome based on the individual player'"'"'s skill, strategy, or knowledge. The player who achieves the final winning outcome at the end of a plurality of rounds of the bonus game is awarded a bonus pool funded by a portion of wagers accumulated during play of the primary game.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with a plurality of gaming devices to;

(a) cause at least one display device to display of a plurality of different secondary game identifiers, each of the secondary game identifiers identifying a different secondary game;

(b) for each gaming device, following;

(1) receipt, via an acceptor of said gaming device, of a physical item associated with a monetary value; and

(2) establishment of a credit balance for a player of said gaming device based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(1) upon an occurrence of a triggering event, increase a quantity of secondary game qualifications of the player of said gaming device; and

(2) if a selection of one of the plurality of secondary game identifiers is received from the player of said gaming device, qualify said player for the secondary game associated with said selected secondary game identifier and reduce the quantity of secondary game qualifications of said player; and

(c) for each secondary game, upon an occurrence of a secondary game initiation event associated with said secondary game, the secondary game initiation event being different from the triggering event, provide said secondary game for each player qualified for said secondary game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, for a first secondary game, the secondary game initiation event occurs when a designated quantity of players have been qualified for said first secondary game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a first secondary game initiation event associated with a first secondary game is different than a second secondary game initiation event associated with a second different secondary game.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, if a player has used a plurality of secondary game qualifications to qualify for the same secondary game a plurality of times before the occurrence of the secondary game initiation event associated with said secondary game, provide said player an advantage for said secondary game when providing said secondary game.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a first secondary game is associated with a first secondary game qualification condition, and wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to enable a player to qualify for the first secondary game if the player satisfies the first secondary game qualification condition.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein a second secondary game is associated with a second secondary game qualification condition that is different than the first secondary game qualification condition, and wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to enable the player to qualify for the second secondary game if the player satisfies the second secondary game qualification condition.

19. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary game is a skill-based game.

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

(a) causing at least one processor to cause at least one display device to display of a plurality of secondary game identifiers, each of the secondary game identifiers identifying a different secondary game;

(b) for each gaming device, following;

(1) receipt, via an acceptor of said gaming device, of a physical item associated with a monetary value; and

(2) establishment of a credit balance for a player of said gaming device based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the received and identified physical item;

(1) upon an occurrence of a triggering event, causing the at least one processor to increase a quantity of secondary game qualifications of the player of said gaming device; and

(2) if a selection of one of the plurality of secondary game identifiers is received from the player of said gaming device, causing the at least one processor to qualify said player for the secondary game associated with said selected secondary game identifier and reduce the quantity of secondary game qualifications of said player; and

(c) for each secondary game, upon an occurrence of a secondary game initiation event associated with said secondary game, the secondary game initiation event being different from the triggering event, providing said secondary game for each player qualified for said secondary game.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, for a first secondary game, the secondary game initiation event occurs when a designated quantity of players have been qualified for said first secondary game.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a first secondary game initiation event associated with a first secondary game is different than a second secondary game initiation event associated with a second different secondary game.

10. The method of claim 7, which includes, if a player has used a plurality of secondary game qualifications to qualify for the same secondary game a plurality of times before the occurrence of the secondary game initiation event associated with said secondary game, providing said player an advantage for said secondary game when providing said secondary game.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a first secondary game is associated with a first secondary game qualification condition, and which includes enabling enable a player to qualify for the first secondary game if the player satisfies the first secondary game qualification condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a second secondary game is associated with a second secondary game qualification condition that is different than the first secondary game qualification condition, and which includes enabling the player to qualify for the second secondary game if the player satisfies the second secondary game qualification condition.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein the secondary game is a skill-based game.

13. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices each including;

(a) a housing;

(b) at least one display device supported by the housing;

(c) a plurality of input devices including an acceptor configured to accept a physical item associated with a monetary value;

(d) at least one gaming device processor; and

(e) at least one gaming device memory device storing a plurality of gaming device instructions that, when executed by the at least one gaming device processor, cause the at least one gaming device processor to operate with the at least one display device and the plurality of input devices; and

at least one controller including;

(a) at least one controller processor; and

(b) at least one controller memory device storing a plurality of controller instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller processor, cause the at least one controller processor to operate with a plurality of gaming devices to;

(1) cause a display of a plurality of secondary game identifiers, each of the secondary game identifiers identifying a different secondary game;

(2) for each gaming device;

(i) upon an occurrence of a triggering event, increase a quantity of secondary game qualifications of the player of said gaming device; and

(ii) if a selection of one of the plurality of secondary game identifiers is received from the player of said gaming device, qualify said player for the secondary game associated with said selected secondary game identifier and reduce the quantity of secondary game qualifications of said player; and

(3) for each secondary game, upon an occurrence of a secondary game initiation event associated with said secondary game, the secondary game initiation event being different from the triggering event, provide said secondary game for each player qualified for said secondary game.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein, for a first secondary game, the secondary game initiation event occurs when a designated quantity of players have been qualified for said first secondary game.

15. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein a first secondary game initiation event associated with a first secondary game is different than a second secondary game initiation event associated with a second different secondary game.

16. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of controller instructions, when executed by the at least one controller processor, cause the at least one controller processor to, if a player has used a plurality of secondary game qualifications to qualify for the same secondary game a plurality of times before the occurrence of the secondary game initiation event associated with said secondary game, provide said player an advantage for said secondary game when providing said secondary game.

17. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein a first secondary game is associated with a first secondary game qualification condition, and wherein the plurality of controller instructions, when executed by the at least one controller processor, cause the at least one controller processor to enable a player to qualify for the first secondary game if the player satisfies the first secondary game qualification condition.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein a second secondary game is associated with a second secondary game qualification condition that is different than the first secondary game qualification condition, and wherein the plurality of controller instructions, when executed by the at least one controller processor, cause the at least one controller processor to enable the player to qualify for the second secondary game if the player satisfies the second secondary game qualification condition.

21. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the secondary game is a skill-based game.