Granted Patent B2

US 8,702,493 · App. 11/952,470 · Granted Apr 22, 2014

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A method for awarding a bonus award at a slot machine, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server from a first slot machine being played by a first player, a jackpot ante and a selection of a set of other slot machines, wherein receiving the selection comprises receiving a selection of one or more individual slot machines independent of the jackpot ante, wherein receiving the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other slot machines qualifies the first player as being eligible, during a predetermined time period that occurs after the server receives the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other slot machines, to win at least a portion of a bonus award to be awarded if a jackpot award is won at a slot machine among the set of other slot machines during the predetermined time period that occurs after the server receives the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other slot machines, wherein receiving the jackpot ante and the selection to qualify the first player as being eligible to win at least a portion of the bonus award to be awarded if the jackpot award is won at a slot machine among the set of other slot machines during the predetermined time period occurs prior to any play of a slot machine among the set of slot machines during the predetermined time period, and wherein each slot machine of the set of other slot machines is played by a player other than the first player;

the set of other slot machines being played during the predetermined time period that occurs after the server received the jackpot ante; and

determining, using the server, that a slot machine among the set of other slot machines awarded a jackpot award to its respective player, for a play of the slot machine among the set of other slot machines during the predetermined time period, and, using the server, responsively awarding at least a portion of the bonus award to the first slot machine being played by the first player, wherein the bonus award and the jackpot award are awarded from separate pools.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

the server automatically determining whether the first slot machine being played by the first player qualifies to earn the bonus award on a next spin of one of the other slot machines, and if not, then the server automatically receiving another additional wager from the first slot machine being played by the first player.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein if a jackpot is won via playing the first slot machine, then a second slot machine, that is one of the other slot machines and that is used to place an additional wager to win a potential award on a predetermined number of plays on other slot machines including the first slot machine, wins a bonus award because playing the first slot machine resulted in the winning of a jackpot.

4. A method for awarding a bonus award, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server from a first casino machine operated by a first bettor and connected to the server, a jackpot ante and a selection of a set of other casino machines, wherein receiving the selection comprises receiving a selection of one or more individual casino machines independent of the jackpot ante, wherein receiving the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other casino machines qualifies the first bettor as being eligible, during a predetermined time period that occurs after the server receives the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other casino machines, to win at least a portion of a bonus award to be awarded if a jackpot award is won at a casino machine among the set of other casino machines during the predetermined time period that occurs after the server receives the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other casino machines, wherein receiving the jackpot ante and the selection to qualify the first bettor as being eligible to win at least a portion of the bonus award to be awarded if the jackpot award is won at the casino machine among the set of other casino machines prior to any play of a casino machine among the set of casino machines during the predetermined time period, wherein each casino machine of the set of other casino machines is played by a respective bettor other than the first bettor, and wherein the first casino machine is not among the set of other casino machines; and

determining, using the server, that a casino machine among the set of casino machines, during the predetermined time period, was awarded a jackpot award for a game played at that casino machine, and, using the server, responsively awarding at least a portion of the bonus award to the first casino machine operated by the first bettor, wherein the bonus award and the jackpot award are awarded from separate pools.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the first casino machine operated by the first bettor is not a slot machine.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first casino machine operated by the first bettor is an automated kiosk or a keno stand.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first casino machine operated by the first better provides the wager to the server via the Internet.

8. A method for awarding a bonus award at a slot machine, the method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a wager from a first slot machine being played by a first player;

spinning, by the server, reels on the first slot machine, wherein the spinning reels stop at a first random combination that matches a predetermined winning combination;

paying, by the server, a first award to the first slot machine in response to the first random combination matching the predetermined winning combination;

determining, by the server, that the first random combination comprises a bonus trigger combination and responsively activating, by the server, an ability for the first player to win a bonus award during any spin of a number of spins occurring on a set of slot machines not including the first slot machine;

monitoring, by the server while the ability for the first player to win the bonus award during the number of spins occurring on the set of slot machines not including the first slot machine is still in force, the number of spins occurring on the set of slot machines not including the first slot machine;

determining, by the server, a slot machine of the set of slot machines hits a jackpot during one of the number of spins;

awarding, by the server, a jackpot award to the slot machine of the set slot machines that hits the jackpot; and

awarding, by the server to the first slot machine being played by the first player, a bonus award in response to the server determining the ability for the first player to win the bonus award during any spin of the number of spins occurring on the set of slot machines is still in force when the slot machine of the set of slot machines hits the jackpot.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the number of spins equals a number randomly selected from a range of numbers.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the number of spins equals a fixed predetermined number.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, by the server from the first slot machine, a jackpot ante that qualifies the first player for the ability for the first player to win the bonus award during the number of spins occurring on the set of slot machines not including the first slot machine.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the set of slot machines not including the first slot machine comprises multiple slot machines.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the number of spins accrues by each of the multiple slot machines spinning an equal number of times.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the number of spins accrues, in part, by two slot machines of the multiple slot machines spinning different numbers of times.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein each slot machine of the set of slot machines is selected by the first player as belonging to the set of slot machines.

Assignments (8)