Gaming machine with player predictable volatility

1. A gaming machine comprising, a display and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display,

the game controller arranged to, once a player has staked a wager, play a first game in which at least one random game outcome is displayed on the display, the game controller further arranged to control the award of a prize if the at least one random game outcome corresponds to a winning outcome;

the game controller being further arranged to award a plurality of second games upon the occurrence of a trigger event, each of the plurality of second games having a plurality of possible second game outcomes;

the gaming machine further comprising a selector that is arranged to allow the player to specify a game credit amount needed to be rewarded from play of the plurality of second games to obtain the award of a bonus amount;

the game controller being arranged to control the award of the bonus amount when the number of game credits rewarded from play of the plurality of second games satisfies a criterion that is based on the specified game credit amount;

wherein the bonus amount has a value that is based on a probability of the game credits rewarded from play of the plurality of second games meeting the criterion, the probability of meeting the criterion decreasing as the game credit amount specified by the player increases such that winning the bonus amount is more difficult, the bonus amount having a higher value in compensation for such a decrease in the probability of meeting the criterion.

2. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , in which the criterion comprises a range of credits, wherein the number of the game credit amount is within the range of credits.

3. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , in which the selector is a touch screen device arranged to allow the player to select one of the plurality of second game options, each of the plurality of second game options having a different value for the game credit amount.

4. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , in which the awarded bonus amount is multiplied by a number of credits staked as the wager.

5. A method for use with a gaming machine that has a display and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display, the game controller arranged to, once a player has staked a wager, play a first game in which at least one random game outcome is displayed on the display, the game controller further arranged to control the award of a prize if the at least one random game outcome corresponds to a winning outcome, the gaming controller being further arranged to determine whether a trigger event occurs during play of the first game, the method comprising the steps of:

awarding a plurality of second games subsequent to the game controller determining that the trigger event has occurred, each of the plurality of second games having a plurality of possible game outcomes;

receiving from the player a prediction regarding a number of possible credits that maybe awarded to the player as a result of playing the plurality of second games;

determining if a number of actual credits awarded to the player as a result of playing the plurality of second games meets a criterion that is based on the number of possible credits specified by the player; and

awarding an award if the number of actual credits awarded meets the criterion, wherein the award is based on a probability associated with of the number of actual credits awarded meeting the criterion, the probability of winning the award being lower in proportion to the predicted number of possible credits being higher such that winning the award is more difficult, the award having a higher value in compensation for the award being more difficult to win.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the criterion comprises a range of credits, wherein the number of possible credits is within the range of credits.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the step of receiving from the player a prediction regarding a number of possible credits comprises the steps of: presenting the player with a plurality of options each of which represents a different value for the number of possible credits; and determining which of the options is selected by the player.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising the step of multiplying the award by a number of credits staked as the wager.