Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

• US 9,679,433 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Hall, Naomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Wei
• Application Number:
  US12/194,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20090209315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,219 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16, 463 20, 463 25, 463 26, 463 27, 463 42
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

There is disclosed a gaming system and method of gaming for playing a game, wherein in response to receipt of an additional bet from a player, the player is able to obtain at least one additional outcome in relation to which an additional prize is awarded. It is determined independently of whether the player has placed the additional bet, whether to award the additional prize to the player based on an amount bet by the player.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game on a gaming machine having a game controller, a non-transitory memory having data indicative of a plurality of symbols, a wager input, and a display, the method comprising:

determining via the game controller if a first wager has been placed at the wager input for said game;

displaying on the display via the game controller and the non-transitory memory at least one first game outcome having a plurality of first symbols of the plurality of symbols;

determining via the game controller whether to award a first prize based on the at least one first game outcome;

determining via the game controller if a second wager in addition to the first wager has been placed at the wager input; and

(i) in response to receipt of both the first wager and the second wager, displaying on the display via the game controller and the non-transitory memory a second game outcome having at least one symbol of the plurality of symbols, said at least one symbol being separate from said first symbols and determining via the game controller whether to award a second prize based on said second game outcome; and

(ii) in response to receipt of the first wager and not the second wager, determining via the game controller independently of the first game outcome and the second game outcome, whether to award said second prize including determining a number of chances to award said second prize based on the amount of the first wager.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising determining via the game controller whether the second wager meets a trigger condition for the second prize.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the second wager is proportional to a chance of the player being randomly awarded the second prize.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the trigger condition is based on a proscribed return to player (RTP) for the second prize.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the second game outcome is an outcome of a feature game for which the second prize can be awarded.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, and further comprising determining the trigger condition based on the probability of the prize being awarded for the feature game and a cumulative bet amount.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the trigger condition is a cumulative bet amount reaching a threshold value.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, and further comprising determining via the game controller the threshold value using the equation:

9. A method as claimed in claim 3, and wherein for each game, the method further includes:

selecting via the game controller a set of random numbers for a player, wherein the size of the set is based on the second wager;

selecting via the game controller a random trigger number for the game; and

if the trigger number matches a number in the player'"'"'s set of numbers, awarding the second prize to the player.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, and further comprising selecting via the game controller the trigger number based on the proscribed RTP for a mystery prize automatically and independently of the player number set selection.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein at least one second prize is a progressive prize.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein at least one second prize is a fixed prize.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, and wherein the fixed prize is one of a predetermined credit amount, a predetermined cash amount, goods or services.

14. A game controller configured to control play of a game on a gaming machine, having a non-transitory memory having data indicative of a plurality of symbols, a wager input, and a display, on which a player can place a first wager, the game controller comprising:

a game play controller configured to

a) in response to receipt of the first wager at the wager input, generate via the non-transitory memory at least one first game outcome having a plurality of first symbols of the plurality of symbols for display on the display, and determine whether to award a first prize based on the at least one first game outcome, and

b) in response to receipt of the first wager and a second wager at the wager input, generate via the non-transitory memory a second game outcome having at least one symbol of the plurality of symbols for display on the display, said at least one symbol being separate from said first symbols and being associated with a second prize; and

a prize manager configured to;

a) award prizes for the game based on the second game outcome; and

b) in response to the player placing the first wager and not the second wager, determine independently of at least the first game outcome and the at least one additional outcome, whether to award said second prize to the player including determining a number of chances to award said second prize based on the amount of the first wager.

15. A game controller as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the prize manager determines whether the additional bet meets a trigger condition for the second prize.

16. A game controller as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the additional bet is proportional to a chance of the player being randomly awarded the second prize.

17. A game controller as claimed in claim 15, and wherein the trigger condition is based on a proscribed return to player (RTP) for the second prize.

18. A game controller as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the second game outcome is an outcome of a feature game for which the second prize can be awarded.

19. A game controller as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the trigger condition is determined based on the probability of the prize being awarded for a feature game and a cumulative bet amount.

20. A game controller as claimed in claim 19, and wherein the trigger condition is a cumulative bet amount reaching a threshold value.

21. A game controller as claimed in claim 20, and wherein the threshold value is determined using the equation:

22. A game controller as claimed in claim 15, and wherein for each game, a set of random numbers is selected for a player, wherein the size of the set is based on the additional bet, a random trigger number is selected for the game, and if the trigger number matches a number in the player'"'"'s set of numbers, the second prize is awarded to the player.

23. A game controller as claimed in claim 22, and wherein the trigger number is selected based on the proscribed RTP for a mystery prize automatically and independently of the player number set selection.

24. A game controller as claimed in claim 14, and wherein at least one second prize is a progressive prize.

25. A game controller as claimed in claim 14, and wherein at least one second prize is a fixed prize.

26. A game controller as claimed in claim 25, and wherein the fixed prize is one of a predetermined credit amount, a predetermined cash amount, goods or services.

27. A gaming system operable to play a game on a gaming machine, the gaming system comprising:

a non-transitory memory having data indicative of a plurality of symbols;

a display;

a player interface configured to enable a player to enter instructions including bet instructions to place a base bet and an optional additional bet that is in addition to the base bet;

a game controller configured to

a) in response to receipt of the base bet, generate via the non-transitory memory at least one first game outcome having a plurality of first symbols of the plurality of symbols for display on the display, and determine whether to award a first prize based on the at least one first game outcome,

b) in response to the base bet and the optional additional bet being placed by the player, generate via the non-transitory memory a second game outcome having at least one symbol of the plurality of symbols to be displayed on the display, said at least one symbol being separate from said first symbols and determine whether to award a second prize based on the at least one second game outcome; and

a prize manager configured to;

a) award prizes for the game based on the second game outcome; and

b) in response to the player placing the base bet and not the optional additional bet, determine independently of the first game outcome and the second game outcome, whether to award said second prize to the player including determining a number of chances to award said second prize based on the amount of the base bet.

28. A gaming system as claimed in claim 27, and wherein it is determined whether the optional additional bet meets a trigger condition for the second prize.

29. A gaming system as claimed in claim 27, and wherein the optional additional bet is proportional to a chance of the player being randomly awarded the second prize.

30. A gaming system as claimed in claim 29, and wherein the trigger condition is based on a proscribed return to player (RTP) for the one or more additional prizes.

31. A gaming system as claimed in claim 30, and wherein the second game outcome is an outcome of a feature game for which the second prize can be awarded.

32. A gaming system as claimed in claim 31, and wherein the trigger condition is determined based on the probability of the prize being awarded for a feature game and a cumulative bet amount.

33. A gaming system as claimed in claim 32, and wherein the trigger condition is a cumulative bet amount reaching a threshold value.

34. A gaming system as claimed in claim 33, and wherein the threshold value is determined using the equation:

35. A gaming system as claimed in claim 28, and wherein for each game, a set of random numbers is selected for a player, wherein the size of the set is based on the optional additional bet, a random trigger number is selected for the game, and if the trigger number matches a number in the player'"'"'s set of numbers, the second prize is awarded to the player.

36. A gaming system as claimed in claim 35, and wherein the trigger number is selected based on the proscribed RTP for a mystery prize automatically and independently of the player number set selection.

37. A gaming system as claimed in claim 27, and wherein at least one second prize is a progressive prize.

38. A gaming system as claimed in claim 27, and wherein at least one second prize is a fixed prize.

39. A gaming system as claimed in claim 38, and wherein the fixed prize is one of a predetermined credit amount, a predetermined cash amount, goods or services.

40. A gaming system as claimed in claim 27, and wherein the gaming system is implemented as a stand alone gaming machine.

41. A gaming system as claimed in claim 27, and wherein the gaming system is implemented across a network.

42. A gaming machine comprising:

a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable;

a memory having data indicative of a plurality of symbols;

a wager input on which a player can place a first wager and a second wager;

a display; and

a game controller configured to

a) in response to receipt of the first wager at the wager input, generate via the memory at least one first game outcome having a plurality of first symbols of the plurality of symbols for display on the display, and determine whether to award a first prize based on the at least one first game outcome,

b) in response to receipt of the first wager and the second wager at the wager input, generate via the non-transitory memory a second game outcome having at least one symbol of the plurality of symbols for display on the display, the at least one symbol being separate from said first symbols and being associated with a second prize, and

c) in response to the player placing the first wager and not the second wager, determine independently of at least the first game outcome and the at least one additional outcome, whether to award the second prize to the player including determining a number of chances to award the second prize based on the amount of the first wager; and

an output mechanism configured to cause a payout associated with the credit balance.