Gaming machine having award modifier dependent on game outcome and method therefor
View Patent ↗A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a wager input device and a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome. The randomly selected outcome is selected from a plurality of outcomes including at least one winning outcome. The gaming system further includes a controller operative to (i) display the at least one winning outcome, and (ii) provide an award modifier to the player, wherein the award modifier is dependent on a quantity of symbols which comprises the at least one winning outcome.
1. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming machine including an electronic display device and one or more electronic input devices; and
one or more controllers configured to:
detect, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiate the casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
display on the electronic display device a randomly selected outcome selected by at least one of the one or more controllers, the randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes including a plurality of first winning outcomes and a plurality of second winning outcomes, each first winning outcome comprising M like symbols, each second winning outcome comprising N like symbols, wherein M and N are not equal;
modify an award associated with a respective one of the plurality of first winning outcomes by a first award modifier common to all of the plurality of first winning outcomes if any one of the first winning outcomes is displayed;
modify an award associated with a respective one of the plurality of second winning outcomes by a second award modifier common to all of the plurality of second winning outcomes if any one of the second winning outcomes is displayed, the first award modifier being different from the second award modifier; and
receive, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.
2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second award modifiers is a multiplier.
3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second award modifiers is displayed by an award modifier display.
4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the second winning outcomes comprise at least three predetermined like symbols positioned on an active payline on the display.
5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second award modifiers is selected from a plurality of predetermined award modifiers.
6. A method of operating a gaming system, the gaming system including one or more controllers and a gaming machine, the gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming machine including an electronic display device and one or more electronic input devices, the method comprising:
detecting, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiating the casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
displaying on the electronic display device of the gaming machine a randomly selected outcome selected by at least one of the one or more controllers, the randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes including a plurality of first winning outcomes and a plurality of second winning outcomes, wherein each first winning outcome comprises M like symbols, each second winning outcome comprises N like symbols, wherein M and N are not equal;
modifying, by at least one of the one or more controllers, an award associated with a respective one of the plurality of first winning outcomes by a first award modifier common to all of the plurality of first winning outcomes if any one of the first winning outcomes is displayed; and
modifying, by at least one of the one or more controllers, an award associated with a respective one of the plurality of second winning outcomes by a second award modifier common to all of the plurality of second winning outcomes if any one of the second winning outcomes is displayed, the first award modifier being different from the second award modifier; and
receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein N is greater than M, and wherein the second award modifier is greater than the first award modifier.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second award modifiers are multipliers.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein a first one of the first winning outcomes comprises a predetermined number of a first type of symbol and a second one of the first winning outcomes comprises the predetermined number of a second type of symbol.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined number is 3, 4, or 5.
11. A method of operating a gaming system that provides an award modifier to a player of gaming system, the gaming system including one or more controllers and a gaming machine, the gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming machine including an electronic display device and one or more electronic input devices, the method comprising:
detecting, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiating the casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
displaying on the electronic display device of the gaming machine a plurality of symbols arranged in an array;
using at least one of the one or more controllers, determining if the displayed array of symbols contains a winning combination of symbols, and if so, determining the number of like symbols comprising the winning combination;
using at least one of the one or more controllers, determining an award modifier from a plurality of different award modifiers based solely upon the determined number of like symbols comprising the winning combination;
modifying an award associated with the winning combination, using at least one of the one or more controllers, of symbols by the award modifier; and
receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the award modifier is a multiplier.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the award modifier increases as the number of symbols increase.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the symbols in the winning combination are arranged along an active payline extending through the array.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the award modifier is independent of the type of symbols comprising the winning combination.
16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the method of claim 6 .
17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the method of claim 11 .
18. The gaming system of claim 1 , further including a random element generator configured to generated one or more random elements, the winning outcomes being randomly selected based, at least in part, on the one or more random elements.
19. The gaming system of claim 18 , wherein the random element generator and at least one of the one or more controllers reside within a gaming cabinet of the gaming machine.
20. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the physical item is selected from a group consisting of a currency bill, a coin, a ticket, a coupon, a card, and a computer-readable storage medium.