U.S. patent application number 11/240748 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-06 for wagering game with group jackpot.
This patent application is currently assigned to WMS Gaming Inc.. Invention is credited to Allon G. Englman, Mark Gagner, Michael W. Mastropietro, Paul McInerny, Larry J. Pacey.
Application Number | 20060073897 11/240748 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36126240 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060073897 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Englman; Allon G. ; et
al. |
April 6, 2006 |
Wagering game with group jackpot
Abstract
System and method are disclosed for conducting a wagering game
having increased excitement and enjoyment. The method/system of the
invention involves a bank of wagering game terminals connected to a
bank server. In addition to a basic wagering game, the wagering
game terminals allow players to play a bonus game where only one or
some of the players may win a prize. In one implementation, the
prize is a jackpot composed entirely of game credits won by the
players in the bonus game and pooled by the bank server. In another
implementation, only players at wagering game terminals that exceed
a minimum level of wagering activity may play the bonus game. The
player that wins the bonus game receives the jackpot. If there are
multiple winners, the jackpot is distributed amongst the winners
based on their performance in the bonus game or some other
criterion.
Inventors: |
Englman; Allon G.; (Chicago,
IL) ; Gagner; Mark; (West Chicago, IL) ;
Mastropietro; Michael W.; (Chicago, IL) ; McInerny;
Paul; (Chicago, IL) ; Pacey; Larry J.;
(Northbrook, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JENKENS & GILCHRIST, P.C.
225 WEST WASHINGTON
SUITE 2600
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
WMS Gaming Inc.
Waukegan
IL
|
Family ID: |
36126240 |
Appl. No.: |
11/240748 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60615482 |
Oct 1, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3267 20130101;
G07F 17/32 20130101; G07F 17/3258 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/042 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A wagering game system, comprising: a plurality of wagering game
terminals, each wagering game terminal capable of conducting a
wagering game in which an outcome is randomly selected from a
plurality of outcomes, including a special-event outcome; and a
network to which said wagering game terminals are connected, said
network initiating a special-event game session on eligible ones of
said wagering game terminals upon occurrence of said special-event
outcome on one of said wagering game terminals; wherein said
network is configured to apply all monetary amounts won in said
special-event game session to a special-event jackpot and to award
said jackpot to one or more players at a conclusion of said
special-event game session.
2. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said
special-event game session includes an initial round and each
player's probability of advancing beyond said initial round depends
on said player's wager amounts prior to beginning said
special-event game session.
3. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said
special-event game session includes multiple rounds and each
player's probability of advancing beyond each round depends on said
player's wager amounts prior to beginning said special-event game
session.
4. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said
conclusion of said special-event game session occurs when only one
player remains, said server awarding all of said jackpot to said
one remaining player.
5. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said
conclusion of said special-event game session occurs when only one
player remains, said server awarding a portion of said jackpot to
one or more eliminated players based on a performance of said
eliminated players or on a final size of said jackpot.
6. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said
conclusion of said special-event game session occurs when no player
remains, said server awarding a portion of said jackpot to one or
more eliminated players based on a performance thereof.
7. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said
conclusion of said special-event game session occurs when a certain
number of rounds is completed, said server dividing said jackpot
between all players remaining at said conclusion.
8. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said
wagering game is a slot machine game and said special-event outcome
includes a special symbol appearing on said slot machine game.
9. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein each
eligible wagering game terminal displays a current number of
players participating in said special-event game session.
10. A method of operating wagering game terminals, comprising:
conducting a wagering game on a plurality of wagering game
terminals, each wagering game having an outcome that is randomly
selected from a plurality of outcomes, including a special-event
outcome; displaying a special-event game on eligible ones of said
wagering game terminals upon occurrence of said special-event
outcome on any wagering game terminal; applying all monetary
amounts won by players playing said special-event game to a
special-event jackpot; and awarding said special-event jackpot to
one or more players at a conclusion of said special-event game
based on a performance of said one or more players in said
special-event game.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said special-event
game is composed of an array of picks from which a player may
select one-by-one to reveal a prize, including game credits, a
game-termination symbol, and a game-advancement symbol.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising giving
each player a number of game-advancement symbols or
game-termination symbols based on said player's wagering activity
on said wagering game.
13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising compiling
said player's wagering activity on said wagering game before a
start of said special-event game.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said player's
wagering activity on said wagering game is compiled for a
predetermined interval before said start of said special-event
game.
15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said performance of
said one or more players in said special-event game is determined
relative to other players playing said special-event game.
16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said performance of
said one or more players in said special-event game is determined
relative to a gaming establishment standard for said special-event
game.
17. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions
for directing a wagering game terminal to perform the method of
claim 10.
18. A method of building a jackpot in a bonus game involving
multiple wagering game terminals, comprising: determining which
ones of said multiple wagering game terminals are eligible for said
bonus game; initiating said bonus game on each eligible wagering
game terminal; contributing to said jackpot a predetermined portion
of monetary amount won by player playing said bonus game; and
awarding said jackpot to one or more players at a conclusion of
said bonus game based on a performance of said one or more players
in said bonus game.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said predetermined
portion includes substantially all of said monetary amounts won by
said players playing said bonus game.
20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said predetermined
portion includes substantially less than all of said monetary
amounts won by said players playing said bonus game and a remainder
of said jackpot is funded by another mechanism.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application for patent claims priority to, and hereby
incorporates by reference, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
60/615,482, entitled "WAGERING GAME WITH GROUP JACKPOT," filed on
Oct. 1, 2004 with the United States Patent and Trademark
Office.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to wagering game
terminals and, more particularly, to a method and system of
conducting a wagering game in which players at several wagering
game terminals compete against each other while striving toward a
common goal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Wagering game terminals, such as slot machines, video poker
machines, and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming
industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such
terminals among players depends on the perceived likelihood of
winning money at the terminal and the intrinsic entertainment value
of the terminal relative to other available gaming options. Where
the available gaming options include a number of competing
terminals and the expectation of winning each terminal is roughly
the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to
be attracted to the more entertaining and exciting of the
terminals. Consequently, wagering game terminal operators strive to
employ the most entertaining and exciting terminals available
because such terminals attract frequent play and, hence, increase
profitability for the operators. Thus, in the highly competitive
wagering game terminal industry, there is a continuing need to
develop new types of games, or improvements to existing games, that
will enhance the entertainment value and excitement associated with
the games.
[0004] One concept that has been successfully employed in existing
wagering game terminals to enhance player entertainment is the use
of progressive games. In the gaming industry, a "progressive" game
involves collecting coin-in data from participating wagering game
terminals (e.g., slot machines), contributing a percentage of that
coin-in data to a progressive jackpot amount, and awarding that
jackpot amount to a player upon the occurrence of a certain
jackpot-won event. A jackpot-won event typically occurs when a
"progressive winning position" is achieved at a participating
wagering game terminal. If the wagering game terminal is a slot
machine, a progressive winning position may, for example,
correspond to alignment of progressive jackpot reel symbols along a
certain payline. The initial progressive jackpot is a predetermined
minimum amount. That jackpot amount, however, progressively
increases as players continue to play the slot machine without
winning the jackpot. Further, when several wagering game terminals
are linked together such that several players at several wagering
game terminals compete for the same jackpot, the jackpot
progressively increases at a much faster rate, which leads to
further player excitement.
[0005] Another concept that is often employed is a secondary or
"bonus" game played in conjunction with a "basic" game. The bonus
game may include any type of game, either similar to or entirely
different from the basic game, and is initiated by the occurrence
of certain pre-selected events or outcomes of the basic game. The
addition of such a bonus game has been found to produce a
significantly higher level of player excitement than the basic game
alone because it provides an additional chance to play, which
increases the player's overall expectation of winning.
[0006] In existing wagering game terminals, the basic game and the
bonus game are played on an individual, stand-alone basis. That is,
each player plays and wins at his or her own wagering game terminal
with little or no participation from other players at other
wagering game terminals. There are presently no arrangements where
players at several wagering game terminals may play in competition
against each other. Nor are there any arrangements where a player's
success benefits the players against whom he or she is competing.
It has been observed, however, that the active participation of
other players generates a substantial amount of excitement and
enjoyment for all players involved.
[0007] Accordingly, what is needed is a wagering game terminal that
is capable of providing increased excitement and entertainment
value over existing wagering game terminals. More specifically,
what is needed is a wagering game terminal that can provide a
wagering game in which a player may compete against other players
while both players strive toward a common goal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is directed to a method and system for
conducting a wagering game having increased excitement and
enjoyment over existing wagering games. The method/system of the
invention involves a bank of wagering game terminals connected to a
bank server. In addition to a basic wagering game, the wagering
game terminals allow players to play a bonus game where only one or
some of the players may win a prize. In one implementation, the
prize is a jackpot composed entirely of game credits won by the
players in the bonus game and pooled by the bank server. In another
implementation, only players at wagering game terminals that exceed
a minimum level of wagering activity may play the bonus game. The
player that wins the bonus game receives the jackpot. If there are
multiple winners, the jackpot is distributed amongst the winners
based on their performance in the bonus game or some other
criterion.
[0009] In general, in one aspect, the invention is directed to a
wagering game system. The system comprises a plurality of wagering
game terminals, each wagering game terminal capable of conducting a
wagering game in which an outcome is randomly selected from a
plurality of outcomes, the plurality of outcomes including a
special-event outcome. The system further comprises a network to
which the wagering game terminals are connected, the network
initiating a special-event game session on eligible ones of the
wagering game terminals upon occurrence of the special-event
outcome on one of the wagering game terminals. The network is
configured to apply all monetary amounts won in the special-event
game session to a special-event jackpot and to award the jackpot to
one or more players at a conclusion of the special-event game
session.
[0010] In general, in another aspect, the invention is directed to
a method of operating wagering game terminals. The method comprises
the step of conducting a wagering game on a plurality of wagering
game terminals, each wagering game having an outcome that is
randomly selected from a plurality of outcomes, the plurality of
outcomes including a special-event outcome. The method further
comprises displaying a special-event game on eligible ones of the
wagering game terminals upon occurrence of the special-event
outcome on any wagering game terminal. All monetary amounts won by
players playing the special-event game are applied to a
special-event jackpot, and the special-event jackpot is awarded to
one or more players at a conclusion of the special-event game based
on a performance of the one or more players in the special-event
game.
[0011] In general, in still another aspect, the invention is
directed to a wagering terminal. The wagering game terminal
comprises a wager input device for accepting a wager from a player
at the wagering game terminal, and a display unit for displaying a
wagering game, the wagering game having an outcome that is randomly
selected from a plurality of outcomes, the plurality of outcomes
including a bonus outcome. The bonus outcome triggers a bonus game
session on the wagering game terminal in which the player competes
against other players at other wagering game terminals for a
jackpot. The jackpot is composed entirely of monetary amounts won
by the player and the other players during the bonus game session
pooled together.
[0012] In general, in yet another aspect, the invention is directed
to a method of playing a wagering game at wagering game terminals.
The method comprises the step of conducting a wagering game on the
wagering game terminals, each wagering game having an outcome that
is randomly selected from a plurality of outcomes, the plurality of
outcomes including a bonus outcome. Upon occurrence of the bonus
outcome on any wagering game terminal, a bonus game is initiated on
eligible ones of the wagering game terminals in which players try
to advance from one round to another. All monetary amounts won by
players playing the bonus game are applied to a jackpot, the
jackpot to be awarded to one or more players at a conclusion of the
bonus game. Players completing a higher number of rounds of the
bonus game are awarded a larger portion of the jackpot, but a
higher number of rounds completed results in a greater jackpot
overall so that all players receiving a portion of the jackpot
benefit from the higher number of rounds completed.
[0013] In general, in still another aspect, the invention is
directed to a method of building a jackpot in a bonus game
involving multiple wagering game terminals. The method comprises
the steps of determining which ones of the multiple wagering game
terminals are eligible for the bonus game and initiating the bonus
game on each eligible wagering game terminal. The method further
comprises the steps of contributing to the jackpot a predetermined
portion of the monetary amounts won by players playing the bonus
game and awarding the jackpot to one or more players at a
conclusion of the bonus game based on a performance of said one or
more players in said bonus game.
[0014] In general, in yet another aspect, the invention is directed
to a method of awarding a jackpot in a bonus game involving
multiple wagering game terminals. The method comprises the steps of
determining which ones of the multiple wagering game terminals are
eligible for the bonus game and initiating the bonus game on each
eligible wagering game terminal. The method further comprises the
steps of contributing to the jackpot a predetermined portion of the
monetary amounts won by players playing the bonus game and awarding
the jackpot to one or more players, but less than all participating
players, at a conclusion of the bonus game based on a performance
of the one or more players in the bonus game.
[0015] In general, in still another aspect, the invention is
directed to a method of conducting a bonus game involving multiple
wagering game terminals. The method comprises the steps of
determining which ones of the multiple wagering game terminals are
eligible for the bonus game and then initiating the bonus game on
each eligible wagering game terminal. The method further comprises
the steps of contributing to a jackpot a predetermined portion of
the monetary amounts won by players playing the bonus game and
awarding the jackpot to one or more players at a conclusion of the
bonus game based on a performance of the one or more players in the
bonus game. Each player's probability of winning the jackpot
depends on a wagering activity of the player.
[0016] The above summary of the present invention is not intended
to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present
invention. The detailed description and figures will describe many
of the embodiments and aspects of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will
become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and
upon reference to the drawings, wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a wagering game
terminal according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates the wagering game terminal of FIG. 1 in
more detail;
[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates a bank of wagering game terminals
connected to a bank server according to one embodiment of the
invention;
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates a main screen at one of the wagering game
terminals in the bank of wagering game terminal according to one
embodiment of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary bonus game that may be
played at one of the wagering game terminals in the bank of
wagering game terminals; and
[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates another exemplary bonus game that may be
played at another one of the wagering game terminals in the bank of
wagering game terminals;
[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates the bank of wagering game terminals of
FIG. 1 after elimination of one or more wagering game terminals;
and
[0025] FIG. 8 illustrates several banks of wagering game terminals
connected together to form a super bank according to one embodiment
of the invention.
[0026] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way
of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein.
It should be understood, however, that the invention is not
intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather,
the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0027] As alluded to above, embodiments of the invention provide a
system and method for playing a wagering game where players at
several wagering game terminals may compete against each other in a
bonus game. The eligibility of the players to participate in and
win the bonus game is based on the amounts wagered at the wagering
game terminals. In one embodiment, instead of keeping their
individual winnings, all monetary amounts won by the players in the
bonus game are contributed to a pool or jackpot that one or more of
the players may subsequently win. Player identification and
tracking of the player is not necessary to the practice of the
invention, although these features may certainly be incorporated
into the invention. In most embodiments, however, players may
participate in the group wagering game on an anonymous basis with
respect to the wagering game terminals.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary wagering
game terminal 100 according to embodiments of the invention. The
wagering game terminal 100 may be operated as a stand-alone
terminal, or it may be connected to a network of wagering game
terminals. Further, the wagering game terminal 100 may be any type
of wagering game terminal and may have varying structures and
methods of operation. For example, the wagering game terminal 100
may be a mechanical wagering game terminal configured to play
mechanical slots, or it may be an electromechanical or electrical
wagering game terminal configured to play a video casino game, such
as blackjack, slots, keno, poker, etc. In the example shown, the
wagering game terminal 100 is a video slot machine.
[0029] As shown, the wagering game terminal 100 includes input
devices, such as a wager acceptor 102 (shown as a card wager
acceptor 102a and a cash wager accepter 102b), a touch screen 104,
a push-button panel 106, a payout mechanism 108, and an information
reader 110. The wagering game terminal 100 further includes a main
display 112 for displaying information about the basic wagering
game and, in some embodiments, a secondary display 114 for
displaying a pay table and/or game-related information or other
entertainment features. While these typical components found in the
wagering game terminal 100 are described briefly below, it should
be understood that numerous other elements may exist and may be
used in any number of combinations to create variation of the
wagering game terminal 100.
[0030] The wager acceptors 102a and 102b may be provided in many
forms, individually or in combination. For example, the cash wager
acceptor 102a may include a coin slot acceptor or a note acceptor
to input value to the wagering game terminal 100. The card wager
acceptor 102b may include a card-reading device for reading a card
that has a recorded monetary value with which it is associated. The
card wager acceptor 102b may also receive a card that authorizes
access to a central account that can transfer money to the wagering
game terminal 100.
[0031] The payout mechanism 108 performs the reverse function of
the wager acceptors 102a and 102b. For example, the payout
mechanism 108 may include a coin dispenser or a note dispenser to
dispense money or tokens from the wagering game terminal 100. The
payout mechanism 108 may also be adapted to receive a card that
authorizes the wagering game terminal 100 to transfer credits from
the wagering game terminal 100 to a central account.
[0032] The push button panel 106 is typically offered, in addition
to the touch screen 104, to provide players with an option on
making their game selections. Alternatively, the push button panel
106 may facilitate player input needed for certain aspects of
operating the game, while the touch screen 104 facilitates player
input needed for other aspects of operating the game.
[0033] The outcome of the basic wagering game is displayed to the
player on the main display 112. The main display 112 may take a
variety of forms, including a cathode ray tube (CRT), a high
resolution LCD, a plasma display, LED, or any other type of video
display suitable for use in the wagering game terminal 100. As
shown here, the main display 112 also includes the touch screen 104
overlaying the entire display (or a portion thereof) to allow
players to make game-related selections. Alternatively, the
wagering game terminal 100 may include a number of mechanical reels
that display the game outcome.
[0034] In some embodiments, the information reader 110 is a card
reader that allows for identification of a player by reading a card
with information indicating the player's identity. Currently,
identification is used by casinos for rewarding certain players
with complimentary services or special offers. For example, a
player may be enrolled in the gaming establishment's players' club
and may be awarded certain complimentary services as that player
collects points in his or her player-tracking account. The player
inserts his or her card into the player-identification card reader
110, which allows the casino's computers to register that player's
wagering at the wagering game terminal 100. Then, the wagering game
terminal 100 may use the secondary display 114 for providing the
player with information about his or her account or other
player-specific information. Also, in some embodiments, the
information reader 110 may be used to restore assets that the
player achieved during a previous gaming session and had saved.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, the various components of the wagering
game terminal 100 are controlled by a central processing unit (CPU)
200, such as one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers. To
provide the gaming functions, the CPU 200 executes a game program
that generates a randomly selected game outcome. The CPU 200 is
also coupled to or includes a local memory 202. The local memory
202 may be in the form of one or more volatile memories 204 (e.g.,
a random-access memory (RAM)) and one or more non-volatile memories
206 (e.g., an EEPROM). Communication between the peripheral
components of the wagering game terminal 100 and the CPU 200 is
controlled by the CPU 200 through input/output (I/O) circuits 208.
The CPU 200 also communicates with external systems via a network
interface unit 210. Although the I/O circuit 208 and network
interface unit 210 are shown here as individual components, it
should be appreciated that both of these units may include a number
of different types of components.
[0036] As alluded to above, the wagering game terminal 100 may be a
stand-alone terminal, or it may be part of a network 212 that
connects multiple wagering game terminals 100 together. The network
212 may be a peer-to-peer network, a client/server network, or any
other suitable network architecture. FIG. 3 illustrates an example
where the network 212 is a client/server network. The network 212
includes a bank 300 of wagering game terminals 100a, 100b, 100c,
100d connected via network connections 302 (e.g., Ethernet, TCP/IP,
etc.) to a bank sever 304. Although only four wagering game
terminals 100a-d are shown here, those having ordinary skill in the
art will recognize that the bank 300 may include fewer or more
wagering game terminals without departing from the scope of the
invention. Preferably, the wagering game terminals 100a-d are
located close to one another to enhance the sense of competition
and camaraderie and also to allow the players to more easily see a
jackpot display 306 mounted above the wagering game terminals
100a-d. The jackpot display 306 displays the current bank jackpot,
which may be either a preset amount or an unspecified amount
accumulated by the players at the wagering game terminals 100a-d
(as will be explained below).
[0037] The wagering game terminals 100a-d are similar to the
wagering game terminal 100 (see FIG. 1) in that they have many of
the same features and components. For example, the wagering game
terminals 100a-d allow players to play a basic, terminal-level
wagering game. Each wagering game terminal 100a-d may be configured
to play a different basic wagering game, or they all may be
configured to play the same basic wagering game. Furthermore, the
wagering game terminals 100a-d may share a common theme, such as
the PowerBall.RTM. lottery, or each wagering game terminal 100a-d
may have its own theme that is different from the other wagering
game terminals 100a-d.
[0038] In some embodiments, one or more functions of the wagering
game terminals 100a-d may reside on the bank sever 304 instead of,
or in addition to, the wagering game terminals 100a-d. The bank
sever 304 may then conduct the basic and/or bonus games (or
portions thereof) for each of the wagering game terminals 100a-d
connected to the network 212, including providing the input data
and information needed to operate the basic and/or bonus games. The
bank sever 304 may also control the progressive jackpots mentioned
previously that are contributed to by all or some of the wagering
game terminals 100a-d in the network 212 (e.g., terminal-level
jackpots that only each terminal 100a-d contributes to, bank-level
jackpots that are contributed to by all of the terminals 100a-d in
a particular bank, and wide-area jackpots that are contributed to
by a larger number of terminals 100a-d, such as multiple
banks).
[0039] In addition to the basic wagering game, the wagering game
terminals 100a-d also allow players to participate in a bank-level
or group-level special event conducted by the bank server 304. The
special event, which may be a group-level bonus game, allows
players at eligible wagering game terminals to compete against each
other to win a jackpot. Eligibility may be determined based on the
wager amounts or the "turnover" at the wagering game terminals
100a-d. To help ensure that only players who have actually wagered
may play, the wager amounts or the turnover may be obtained as
close to the start of the bonus game as possible.
[0040] In one embodiment, eligibility is determined by periodically
obtaining wager information from the wagering game terminals 100a-d
connected to the bank server 304. For example, the bank server 304
may request that the wagering game terminals 100a-d forward their
wager information to the bank server 304 at certain intervals, such
as every 30 seconds, every minute, and so forth. The wager
information allows the bank server 304 to determine whether a
player was playing at a wagering game terminal 100a-d when the
bonus game is started. This avoids unduly awarding a bonus game to
a player who has not actually been playing at the wagering game
terminal, but had just stepped up to the wagering game terminal
when the group wagering game began.
[0041] The content of the wager information may include, for
example, the wager amounts or the turnover and the time when the
wagers were placed. The term "turnover" as used herein refers to
the amount wagered at any wagering game terminal 100a-d over a
predefined interval (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute, etc.). Eligibility
is then determined based on the wager amounts or the turnover at
the wagering game terminals 100a-d, and not on player
identification. In one embodiment, players at all wagering game
terminals connected to the bank server 304 may play regardless of
their wagering activities as long as the players are currently
playing at the wagering game terminals. In another embodiment,
however, the bank server 304 may have additional requirements as to
which wagering game terminals (i.e., which players) are eligible.
For example, the bank server 304 may require a turnover of at least
$1 per unit of time (e.g., a 30 second interval) at the wagering
game terminal in order for the player to play the bonus game.
[0042] In some embodiments, instead of the bank server 304
determining eligibility for the wagering game terminals 100a-d,
each wagering game terminal 100a-d may determine its own
eligibility. In that case, the bank server 304 simply notifies the
wagering game terminals 100a-d that a bonus game is about to begin.
Each wagering game terminal 100a-d then determines whether it is
eligible and only those wagering game terminals 100a-d that are
eligible will inform their respective players of the opportunity to
participate in the bonus game. The wagering game terminals 100a-d
that are not eligible will simply ignore the notification from the
bank server 304.
[0043] In embodiments where eligibility is contingent upon a
minimum turnover amount, the period in which eligibility is
considered may be the same as the turnover interval. For other
embodiments where a minimum turnover amount is not required, the
eligibility period is not necessarily the same as the turnover
interval and may be longer or shorter. In either case, the
eligibility period may be defined to expire before the group
wagering game begins. Then, a new eligibility period may start
either immediately after the previous eligibility period expires
(i.e., without any break in between), or it may begin some
predetermined amount of time after the previous eligibility period
expires. In some embodiments, the eligibility period may be defined
simply as, for example, a 30-second or one-minute interval
immediately preceding the beginning of the bonus game, regardless
of the frequency or timing or the bonus game.
[0044] Thus far, player eligibility has been discussed irrespective
of the identity of the player or the type of terminal-level
wagering games conducted by the wagering game terminals 100a-d.
However, in some embodiments, player eligibility may be determined
by using the player's identification to track accumulated wagers on
the wagering game terminals 100a-d. In that case, the player's
identification may be read via the player-identification card
reader 110 (see FIGS. 1-2) and used to monitor the wagers. If the
player has accumulated a certain minimum wager amount over a
predetermined time period, then he or she may play the bonus game.
The player's identification may also be used for other activities,
such as awarding monthly prizes and so forth.
[0045] Operation of the above exemplary bank 300 of wagering game
terminals is described with respect to FIGS. 4-7. FIG. 4
illustrates the main display 112 of one of the wagering game
terminals 100a-d, for example, the first wagering game terminal
100a. Shown on the main display 112 is a basic wagering game, for
example, a video slot machine having a "Quackers" theme. Touch
screen buttons 104 allow players to place bets, select paylines,
and otherwise control the video slot machine. The video slot
machine includes a plurality of reels, one of which is indicated at
400. Each reel 400 contains several symbols 402, including a
special-event symbol 404, which may be a "Quackers" symbol or the
like. The occurrence of the special-event symbol 404 in the basic
wagering game triggers a special event, such as a bonus game, on
all eligible wagering game terminals 100a-d on the bank 300 of
wagering game terminals.
[0046] During the course of normal play, the bank server 304
periodically assesses the players at the wagering game terminals
100a-d on their level of turnover. As mentioned earlier, turnover
refers to the amount of money wagered at the wagering game terminal
over a predetermined interval (e.g., 30 seconds, one minute, etc.).
Players who have a level of turnover that exceeds a minimum
eligibility requirement receive an eligibility indicator on the
main display 112 of their wagering game terminal 100a-d. In the
example shown, the eligibility indicator may be in the form of a
virtual token 406. In some cases, the virtual token 406 may include
an identifier for identifying the wagering game terminal, such as a
terminal number (e.g., number 1821). Then, additional virtual
tokens 408 may be displayed on the main display 112 to show the
eligibility of neighboring players. In some embodiments, the same
color may be used for all virtual tokens 406 and 408, or different
colors may be used to reflect different levels of turnover.
[0047] When the special-event symbol 404 occurs, a special event,
such as a bonus game, is triggered on the wagering game terminals
100a-d. The bonus game here may be a type of bonus game where
players compete against each other, and may include an individual
game or a group game. In accordance with one embodiment of the
invention, all monetary amounts won by the players during the bonus
game is contributed to a jackpot. This allows the players to build
up the jackpot from scratch at the start of each bonus game. At the
conclusion of the bonus game, one or more players are awarded the
jackpot based on their performance during the bonus game. The
player's performance may be measured, for example, according to the
number of rounds the player completed in the bonus game, the total
monetary amount the player contributed to the jackpot, and other
similar performance measures. Furthermore, the performance may be
measured relative to other players, or it may be compared against
casino standards.
[0048] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary bonus game that is displayed
on one of the wagering game terminals 100a-d upon occurrence of the
special-event symbol 404. A similar or identical bonus game is
displayed on all eligible wagering game terminals 100a-d at this
time. This bonus game may be displayed on the main display 112 of
the wagering game terminals 100a-d, or it may be displayed on the
secondary display 114. In the example shown, the bonus game is an
individual bonus game that each player plays at his or her own
wagering game terminal 100a-d independently of other players,
although at the same time as other players. In accordance with
embodiments of the invention, each player plays the bonus game in
competition with other players participating in the bonus game, as
will be explained below.
[0049] The bonus game here may be a player selection game where
each player is presented with an array 500 of picks. In one
embodiment, the picks may be in the form of presents 502, each
present revealing a prize when selected. The prizes may include,
for example, various amounts of game credits, a game-advancement
symbol, and a game-termination symbol. Selection of the
game-termination symbol (FIG. 6) results in the bonus game being
terminated for the player. Selection of the game-advancement symbol
results in the player automatically advancing to the next round of
the bonus game, which may be a similar player selection game, or it
may be an entirely different type of game. Regardless, whether the
player selects a game-advancement symbol or a game-termination
symbol depends more on chance than on any player skills. However,
as will be described further below, some players may be given a
higher probability of selecting one or the other type of symbol,
depending on the player's wagering activity.
[0050] In some embodiments, all participating players start each
round of the bonus game together so that the pace of the game is
dictated by the slowest player. Advancing players start the next
round of the bonus game only when all instances of the previous
round have been completed. In other embodiments, all participating
players proceed through the rounds of the bonus game at their own
pace so that no player is waiting on any other player. In a case
where there is only one participating player or eligible wagering
game terminal (e.g., during casino off-peak periods), that player
naturally controls his or her own pace in the bonus game.
[0051] In one embodiment of the invention, all game credits
uncovered by participating players are pooled by the bank server
304 to build up the jackpot. Thus, in this embodiment, the entire
jackpot is made of the players' winnings from the bonus game (as
opposed to wagers from the basic wagering game). As a result, no
additional funding is needed for the jackpot, since the funding is
already factored into the bonus game. The above arrangement does,
however, result in a curious combination of competition and
camaraderie. On one hand, each player wants the other players to be
terminated so that he or she can win the jackpot. But each player
also wants the other players to continue playing as long as
possible before being terminated in order to build up the
jackpot.
[0052] In other embodiments, only a certain portion of the players'
winnings from the bonus game are contributed to the jackpot and the
players keep the rest. In still other embodiments, the players keep
all or substantially all of their winnings from the bonus game and
the jackpot is funded mostly or entirely through another mechanism
(e.g., the expected value from the players' wagers). In these
embodiments, the players have a chance to both keep some or all of
their bonus game winnings and also win the jackpot.
[0053] In the example of FIG. 5, the player has selected four
different credit amounts: 15 credits, 50 credits, 25 credits, and
20 credits. Thus, the player has contributed a total of 110 game
credits to the jackpot in the current bonus game, as indicated by a
player contribution meter 504. A remaining-players indicator 506
indicates the number of players remaining (e.g., 3 players) in the
bonus game, and a jackpot indicator 508 indicates the current total
value (e.g., $39,903) of the jackpot. In addition to the various
credit amounts, the player has also selected a game-advancement
symbol 510, which may be a star symbol in one embodiment. When this
happens, the current round of the bonus game is stopped and the
player automatically advances to the next round of the bonus
game.
[0054] Alternatively, as can be seen in FIG. 6, it is also possible
for the player to select a game-termination symbol 600. When this
happens, the current round of the bonus game simply stops and the
player is returned to the basic wagering game. The
remaining-players indicator 506 is thereafter decremented on the
wagering game terminals 100a-d of each remaining player to reflect
the decreased number of players. This latter aspect is illustrated
graphically in FIG. 7, where players at the first and third
wagering game terminals 100a and 100c have now been eliminated from
the bonus game. Note that the size of the jackpot has grown from $0
to more than $77,000 and will continue growing to an unspecified
amount as long as players continue contributing to the jackpot.
[0055] In some embodiments, the bank server 304 may provide
different players with a different number of game-advancement
symbols 510 or game-termination symbols 600. The bank server 304
may use an algorithm that involves the turnover for a player to
determine the number of game-advancement or game-termination
symbols 510 or 600 that will be provided to the player. For
example, players who have a higher turnover may be given more
game-advancement symbols 510, or fewer game-termination symbols
600, than other players. In this way, players who wager more have a
more favorable chance of selecting a game-advancement symbol 510
and advancing than players who wager less.
[0056] The above scheme may be implemented for all rounds of the
bonus game as a way to reward players who wager more. It may also
be implemented only for the initial round of the bonus game as a
sort of first-pass filter to quickly reduce the number of
participating players. Then, players who make it to the subsequent
rounds are given an equal number of game-advancement symbols 510 or
game-termination symbols 600. Other techniques for reducing the
number of participating players may also be used without departing
from the scope of the invention, including increasing the
eligibility requirements, and so on. Note that while the number of
game-advancement symbols 510 or game-termination symbols 600 for a
given player is determined by the bank server 304, the placement of
the symbols 510 and 600 in the array 500 may be determined by each
wagering game terminal 100a-d independently of the bank server 304.
An exemplary implementation of the above scheme is shown in TABLE
1. TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Turnover Virtual Token Star Symbols
$0-$2.50 Bronze Coin 1 $2.51-$5.00 Silver Coin 2 $5.01-$10.00 Gold
Coin 3
[0057] In TABLE 1, if a player bets more than the $10 shown in the
third row during a turnover interval, he or she will be given more
than three game-advancement symbols 510 (e.g., star symbols). Thus,
if the player bets $13 during a turnover interval, he or she will
be given five game-advancement symbols 510 (i.e., 3+2=5 star
symbols).
[0058] At the conclusion of the bonus game, the jackpot is awarded
to one or possibly several of the participating players, but not
all of the participating players. Of course, if there is only one
player to begin with, then that player will be awarded the jackpot,
assuming he or she endures to the conclusion of the bonus game. In
one embodiment, the bonus game is concluded when a certain number
of rounds have been completed, in which case all remaining players
will share the jackpot. The jackpot may be shared evenly by all the
remaining players, or it may be divided according to each player's
contribution to the jackpot, or some other criterion.
[0059] In another embodiment, the bonus game is concluded when only
one player remains in the bonus game, in which case that player is
awarded the entire jackpot. In yet another embodiment, the bonus
game is concluded when there are no players remaining in the bonus
game and the last player to be terminated is awarded the entire
jackpot. The main difference in these two implementations, of
course, is that in the latter case, the last player can continue to
build the jackpot until he or she is terminated, thus further
increasing the size of the jackpot.
[0060] In yet another embodiment, instead of awarding the entire
jackpot to one winning player, it is possible to share the jackpot
with some of the eliminated players. For example, the second and/or
third place players may be awarded a percentage of the total
jackpot, even though they did not win the bonus game. Under this
arrangement, the second and/or third place players will compete
against the first-place player until they are eliminated, then they
will root for the first-place player to continue playing, since
they will receive a percentage of any additional credits that the
first-place player contributes to the jackpot.
[0061] Sometimes, a bonus game may be initiated while a player is
in the middle of a basic wagering game. When that happens, the
player is usually unable to participate in the new bonus game. In
order not to exclude these players from the bonus game, in one
embodiment, players may be "grandfathered" into the bonus game
whereby they retain the opportunity to play the bonus game for a
predetermined time period (e.g., up to one minute). After the
player completes the basic wagering game, he or she may then start
playing the bonus game. This arrangement allows the players to wrap
up their basic wagering games without losing the opportunity to
play the bonus game. It is also possible to freeze or suspend the
basic wagering game while the player plays the bonus game, then
resume the basic wagering game when the bonus game is
concluded.
[0062] While only a single game bank 300 (see FIG. 3) has been
described thus far, in some embodiments, it is possible to link
several game banks together over a LAN or WAN to form a super bank
800, such as the one shown in FIG. 8. As can be seen, the super
bank 800 is composed of several game banks 300a, 300b, 300c and
300d, each having its own bank server, that are connected to a
super bank server 802. The super bank 800 operates in a similar way
to the game bank 300 of FIG. 3, except that it conducts a bonus
game involving players at multiple game banks 300a-d.
[0063] To determine player eligibility, wager information is
provided periodically from the game banks 300a-d to the super bank
server 802. Eligibility may again be based on the wager amounts or
the turnover at the wagering game terminals, irrespective of player
identity or the types of game played at the wagering game
terminals. It is also possible to determine eligibility on a per
bank basis instead of a per wagering game terminal basis so that
all wagering game terminals at a game bank 300a-d may be eligible
based on the total wager amounts or the total turnover for an
entire game bank 300a-d.
[0064] From the foregoing, a number of advantages of the invention
can be discerned, including a bonus game where players at a bank of
wagering game terminals can play against each other while also
rooting for each other, thus fostering both competition and
camaraderie. In addition, since the performance of the players
depends more on chance than on skill, the playing field is
substantially level for all players. It is possible, however, to
reward certain players who wager more by awarding those players
with more opportunities to advance. Further, embodiments of the
invention can result in an unspecified jackpot amount that depends
entirely on the players' performances, thus giving the players a
greater sense of control and ownership over the bonus game.
[0065] While the present invention has been described with
reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in
the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof
is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the
claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *