Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9679433-B2
Application number	US-19491608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2008
Priority date	Aug 20, 2007
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

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:

T
=

V
RTP

where T is the threshold value, V is the prize value and RTP is the return to player for the prize and RTP is based on the probability of the second prize being awarded for a feature game.

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:

T
=

V
RTP

where T is the threshold value, V is the prize value and RTP is the return to player for the prize and RTP is based on the probability of the second prize being awarded for a feature game.

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.

Assignees

• Hall Naomi
• Aristocrat Technologies Au

Inventors

• Hall Naomi

Classifications

• G07F17/32 Primary

  for games, toys, sports, or amusements · CPC title

• G07F17/3258

  Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots · CPC title

• G07F17/3244

  Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes · CPC title