System and method for performing a computer-implemented game with a trigger via a state machine

1 . A method of using a state machine at a server, the state machine operable in first, second, and third states, to cause display of first, second, and third graphical user interfaces at a client communicatively coupled to the server via a communication network, the method comprising:

switching, by a processor at the server, operation of the state machine from the third state to the first state in response to a computer-implemented roulette game being selected for auto-play during a new session initiated via the client, wherein:

the server is operable to serve the computer-implemented roulette game to the client while the state machine operates in the first state,

the server is configured to switch the state machine to operate in the second state and then serve to the client a second computer-implemented game that differs from the computer-implemented roulette game;

the server is operable to cause the first, second, and third graphical user interfaces to begin being displayed at the client in response to switching the state machine to operate in the first, second, and third states, respectively, and

the server is configured to switch the state machine to operate in the third state from the first state or the second state;

clearing a first counter stored in a computer-readable memory at the server for the new session, wherein the first counter tracks how many performances of the computer-implemented roulette game have occurred in which a bonus trigger number matched a game-selected number;

selecting, via a random number generator, the bonus trigger number from a set of multiple numbers and responsively writing the bonus trigger number into the computer-readable memory for use during the new session;

performing, by the processor, multiple instances of the computer-implemented roulette game while the state machine operates in the first state during the new session, wherein performing each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game comprises:

transmitting, over a communication network from the server to the client, data to cause the client to output the first graphical user interface on a display to show a performance of each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game;

determining a user-selected number indicating a first number selected from a set of multiple numbers via the first graphical user interface at the client;

selecting, via the random number generator, a single game-selected number from the set of multiple numbers,

determining a first outcome based on a comparison of the user-selected number and the single game-selected number;

determining a second outcome based on a comparison of the bonus trigger number and the single game-selected number, and responsively changing the first counter if the single game-selected number matches the bonus trigger number; and

after determining the first and second outcomes, determining whether the first counter has become equal to a threshold number;

after determining the first counter has become equal to the threshold number based on a most-recent auto-play performance of the computer-implemented roulette game, deferring switching the state machine to operate in the second state to perform the second computer-implemented game triggered by the first counter becoming equal to the threshold number, because a second counter tracked by the server indicates one or more auto-play performances of the computer-implemented roulette game remain to be played;

switching, by the processor, the state machine from operating in the first state to operating in the second state after all of the auto-play performances of the computer-implemented roulette game have been played;

performing, by the processor, one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game after the state machine is switched to operating in the second state; and

switching, by the processor, the state machine from operating in the second state to operating in the first state or the third state after performing the one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold number is greater than one.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of multiple numbers includes consecutive integers from 0 to 36, inclusive.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting, by the processor, the first counter to a default value, wherein setting the first counter to the default value occurs:

after setting the state machine to the second state but before performing the one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game,

while performing the one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game, or

after performing the one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game.

5 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the first outcome is a winning outcome because the comparison indicates the user-selected number matches the single game-selected number, and

the method further comprises outputting, by the processor, an award based on the winning outcome.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first graphical user interface includes a roulette layout to represent the user-selected number,

the first graphical user interface includes a roulette wheel having multiple pockets,

outputting the first graphical user interface to show performance of each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game includes outputting an animation that shows the roulette wheel spinning, a roulette ball landing on the roulette wheel while spinning, and the roulette wheel stopped with the roulette ball disposed in a particular pocket of the multiple pockets, and

the particular pocket corresponds to the single game-selected number.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second computer-implemented game includes a computer-implemented prize wheel game or a computer-implemented pachinko game.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the bonus trigger number comprises a subset of numbers from the set of multiple numbers,

the subset of numbers comprises multiple, different numbers, and

determining whether the single game-selected number matches the bonus trigger number comprises determining whether the single game-selected number matches one number of the subset of numbers.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the processor determines the subset of numbers anew for each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining, by the processor, an average wager value for the new session of the state machine being in the first state.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the average wager value is based on a sum of wagers entered during the new session divided by a quantity of performances of the computer-implemented roulette game during the new session, or the average wager value is based on the sum of wagers entered during the new session divided by a quantity of the wagers entered during the new session.

12 . The method of claim 11 ,

wherein each wager entered during the new session corresponds to a wager type, and

wherein the average wager value is further based on a coefficient corresponding to the wager type.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each wager entered during the new session corresponds to a stage of the first state, and wherein the average wager value is further based on a scaling factor corresponding to the stage of the first state.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the stage of the first state includes an initial stage, a final stage, or an initial stage of one or more intermediate stages occurring between the initial stage and the final stage.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game is conditioned on the processor receiving a respective wager input.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein receiving the respective wager input includes the processor receiving a signal from an acceptor operatively connected to the processor.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

third and fourth counters corresponds to the first state,

the first state includes multiple stages,

the third counter indicates a stage of the multiple stages, and

the fourth counter indicates a quantity of bonus trigger numbers to use for the stage of the multiple stages indicated by the second counter.

18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the third graphical user interface includes a first user-selectable control selectable to cause the state machine to operate in the first state for playing the computer-implemented roulette game and a second user-selectable control selectable to cause the state machine to operate in the second state for playing the second computer-implemented game.

19 . A computing system configured to use a state machine, the state machine operable in first, second, and third states, to cause display of first, second, and third graphical user interfaces at a client communicatively coupled to the computing system via a communication network, the computing system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory containing executable instructions, wherein execution of the executable instructions by the processor causes the computing system to perform functions comprising:

switching, operation of the state machine from the third state to the first state in response to a computer-implemented roulette game being selected for auto-play during a new session initiated via the client, wherein:

the computing system is operable to serve the computer-implemented roulette game to the client while the state machine operates in the first state,

the computing system is configured to switch the state machine to operate in the second state and then serve to the client a second computer-implemented game that differs from the computer-implemented roulette game;

the computing system is operable to cause the first, second, and third graphical user interfaces to begin being displayed at the client in response to switching the state machine to operate in the first, second, and third states, respectively, and

the computing system is configured to switch the state machine to operate in the third state from the first state or the second state;

clearing a first counter stored in a computer-readable memory at the computing system for the new session, wherein the first counter tracks how many performances of the computer-implemented roulette game have occurred in which a bonus trigger number matched a game-selected number;

selecting, via a random number generator, the bonus trigger number from a set of multiple numbers and responsively writing the bonus trigger number into the computer-readable memory for use during the new session;

performing multiples instances of the computer-implemented roulette game while the state machine operates in the first state during the new session, wherein performing each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game comprises:

transmitting, over a communication network from the computing system to the client, data to cause the client to output the first graphical user interface on a display to show a performance of each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game;

determining a user-selected number indicating a first number selected from a set of multiple numbers via the first graphical user interface at the client;

selecting, via the random number generator, a single game-selected number from the set of multiple numbers,

determining a first outcome based on a comparison of the user-selected number and the single game-selected number;

determining a second outcome based on a comparison of the bonus trigger number and the single game-selected number, and responsively changing the first counter if the single game-selected number matches the bonus trigger number; and

after determining the first and second outcomes, determining whether the first counter has become equal to a threshold number;

after determining the first counter has become equal to the threshold number based on a most-recent auto-play performance of the computer-implemented roulette game, deferring switching the state machine to operate in the second state to perform the second computer-implemented game triggered by the first counter becoming equal to the threshold number, because a second counter tracked by the computing system indicates one or more auto-play performances of the computer-implemented roulette game remain to be played;

switching, by the processor, the state machine from operating in the first state to operating in the second state after all of the auto-play performances of the computer-implemented roulette game have been played;

performing one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game after the state machine is switched to operating in the second state; and

switching the state machine from operating in the second state to operating in the first state or the third state after performing the one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored therein instructions executable by a processor to cause a computing system to perform functions, the computing system being configured to use a state machine, the state machine operable in first, second, and third states, to cause display of first, second, and third graphical user interfaces at a client communicatively coupled to the computing system via a communication network, the functions comprising:

switching, operation of the state machine from the third state to the first state in response to a computer-implemented roulette game being selected for auto-play during a new session initiated via the client, wherein:

the computing system is operable to serve the computer-implemented roulette game to the client while the state machine operates in the first state,

the computing system is configured to switch the state machine to operate in the second state and then serve to the client a second computer-implemented game that differs from the computer-implemented roulette game;

the computing system is operable to cause the first, second, and third graphical user interfaces to begin being displayed at the client in response to switching the state machine to operate in the first, second, and third states, respectively, and

the computing system is configured to switch the state machine to operate in the third state from the first state or the second state;

clearing a first counter stored in a computer-readable memory at the computing system for the new session, wherein the first counter tracks how many performances of the computer-implemented roulette game have occurred in which a bonus trigger number matched a game-selected number;

selecting, via a random number generator, the bonus trigger number from a set of multiple numbers and responsively writing the bonus trigger number into the computer-readable memory for use during the new session;

performing multiple instances of the computer-implemented roulette game while the state machine operates in the first state during the new session, wherein performing each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game comprises:

transmitting, over a communication network from the computing system to the client, data to cause the client to output the first graphical user interface on a display to show a performance of each instance of the computer-implemented roulette game;

determining a user-selected number indicating a first number selected from a set of multiple numbers via the first graphical user interface at the client;

selecting, via the random number generator, a single game-selected number from the set of multiple numbers,

determining a first outcome based on a comparison of the user-selected number and the single game-selected number;

determining a second outcome based on a comparison of the bonus trigger number and the single game-selected number, and responsively changing the first counter if the single game-selected number matches the bonus trigger number; and

after determining the first and second outcomes, determining whether the first counter has become equal to a threshold number;

after determining the first counter has become equal to the threshold number based on a most-recent auto-play performance of the computer-implemented roulette game, deferring switching the state machine to operate in the second state to perform the second computer-implemented game triggered by the first counter becoming equal to the threshold number, because a second counter tracked by the computing system indicates one or more auto-play performances of the computer-implemented roulette game remain to be played;

switching, by the processor, the state machine from operating in the first state to operating in the second state after all of the auto-play performances of the computer-implemented roulette game have been played;

performing one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game after the state machine is switched to operating in the second state; and

switching the state machine from operating in the second state to operating in the first state or the third state after performing the one or more instances of the second computer-implemented game.