Wagering game with video lottery bonus game
View Patent ↗System and method are disclosed for operating a gaming terminal. The system and method of the invention involves using a real-life video of a lottery drawing to conduct a wagering game on the gaming terminal. The wagering game may be a basic game or it may be a bonus game that is initiated on the occurrence of a certain outcome in the basic game. The real-life video of the lottery drawing may be stored locally on the gaming terminal, or it may be stored remotely on a network and subsequently streamed to the gaming terminal. The use of such a real-life video increases the entertainment value of the gaming terminal.
1. A gaming terminal for playing a basic wagering game and a bonus game, comprising:
at least one display for displaying a randomly selected outcome for said basic wagering game, said randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player, said plurality of outcomes including a start-bonus outcome; and
wherein, in response to said start-bonus outcome being said randomly selected outcome, said at least one display displaying a lottery ticket with lottery numbers thereon and a real-life video of a lottery drawing in which number-bearing lottery balls are randomly selected, said player achieving a bonus award in response to a match between at least some of said lottery numbers and said selected number-bearing lottery balls.
2. The gaming terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a network interface for connecting said gaming terminal to a network of gaming terminals.
3. The gaming terminal according to claim 2 , wherein said controller resides in said gaming terminal.
4. The gaming terminal according to claim 2 , wherein said controller resides on a network server to which several gaming terminals are connected.
5. The gaming terminal according to claim 2 , wherein said controller randomly selects said lottery numbers on said lottery ticket.
6. The gaming terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller for randomly selecting said number-bearing lottery balls.
7. The gaming terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a player input mechanism for allowing said player to select said lottery numbers.
8. The gaming terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit located in said gaming terminal for storing said real-life video.
9. The gaming terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit located on a network to which several gaming terminals are connected, said storage unit storing said real-life video.
10. The gaming terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a player identification system for identifying said player, said player identification system causing said at least one display to display a customized greeting to said player.
11. The gaming terminal according to claim 10 , wherein said player identification system further causes said at least one display to display a lottery ticket having lottery numbers that are preselected by said player and stored within said player identification system.
12. The gaming terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a video unit connected to said gaming terminal for processing said real-life video and providing full-screen, full-motion playback of said real-life video to said at least one display.
13. The gaming terminal according to claim 12 , wherein said video unit is a separate unit that is capable of providing said full-screen, full-motion playback on a stand-alone basis.
14. A method of conducting a wagering game via a gaming system, said gaming system including a display, a processor, and a storage unit, said method comprising:
allocating, via the processor, lottery numbers to a player of said wagering game;
storing, via said storage unit, a plurality of real-life video clips showing different outcomes of a lottery drawing with number-bearing lottery balls;
randomly selecting an outcome for said wagering game; and
playing back, via said display, one or more video clips of said plurality of real-life video clips corresponding to said randomly selected outcome.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wagering game is a basic wagering game.
16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wagering game is a bonus game that is initiated upon occurrence of a predetermined outcome for a basic wagering game.
17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said step of allocating includes randomly selecting, via said processor, said lottery numbers.
18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said step of allocating includes allowing the player to manually select said lottery numbers displayed on said display.
19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said plurality of real-life video clips includes a real-life close-up view of every possible combination of number-bearing lottery balls.
20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said plurality of real-life video clips includes a real-life close-up view of certain ones every possible combination of number-bearing lottery balls.
21. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said step of randomly selecting an outcome includes said number-bearing lottery balls rolling from a drum of lottery balls down a chute path and into a chute, said plurality of real-life video clips including a close-up view of each number-bearing ball rolling down a portion of said chute path.
22. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said plurality of real-life video clips is augmented with an animated close-up view of every possible combination of number-bearing lottery balls.
23. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said plurality of real-life video clips are full-screen, full-motion video clips.
24. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming terminal, the method comprising:
receiving, via at least one input device, a set of player-preferred selections from an array of player selectable options, said set comprising a preferred outcome;
storing, in a database, said set of player-preferred selections;
randomly generating, via one or more processors, an outcome of said wagering game;
retrieving said set of player-preferred selections from said database;
displaying, via at least one display device, real-life video of a lottery drawing in which number-bearing balls are selected, said selected number-bearing balls comprising said randomly generated outcome;
applying said set of player-preferred selections to said randomly generated outcome; and
determining an outcome of said wagering game, via the one or more processors, based on a match between at least some of said player-preferred selections and said selected number-bearing balls.
25. The method according to claim 24 , wherein said wagering game is a bonus game triggered by a start-bonus outcome occurring in a basic game.
26. The method according to claim 24 , further comprising displaying said array of player-selectable options prior to said retrieving step.
27. The method according to claim 24 , wherein said real-life video is stored on a network to which said gaming terminal is connected.
28. The method according to claim 24 , wherein said database is stored on a network to which said gaming terminal is connected.
29. The method according to claim 28 , further comprising retrieving said set of player-preferred selections based on a player's identity.