SHARED BONUS ON GAMING DEVICE

1 . A method of implementing a bonus on a gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving a bonus trigger;

determining if the bonus is a shared bonus where a first player playing at a first gaming station and a second player playing at a second gaming station both interact with the gaming device to play the shared bonus; and

transferring game play from a base game being played on the first gaming station of the gaming device to a shared bonus and transferring game player from a base game being played on the second gaming station of the gaming device to the shared bonus when the bonus is determined to be a shared bonus.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

requesting player inputs from the first player at the first gaming station after game play has been transferred to the shared bonus;

requesting player inputs from the second player at the second gaming station; and

awarding credits to the first and second player as result of the player inputs from the first player and the player inputs from the second player, respectively.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

incrementing a first player score in response to the player inputs from the first player; and

incrementing a second player score in response to the player inputs from the second player.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the player inputs from the first player and the player inputs from the second player are requested alternatively during the shared bonus.

5 . A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising:

monitoring a base game play of a first player playing at a first gaming station on the gaming device and a base game play of a second player playing at a second gaming station on the gaming device;

receiving a bonus trigger from the first player to initiate a bonus event;

determining if the bonus event is a shared bonus event where both the first and second players interact with the gaming device during the bonus event;

inviting the second player to participate in the bonus event when it is determined that the bonus event is a shared bonus event;

operating the shared bonus event by receiving player inputs from the first and second players when the second player accepts the invitation to participate in the shared bonus event; and

returning operation of the gaming device to the base game play on the first and second gaming stations after the completion of the shared bonus event.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

inviting the second player to place a side bet regarding a bonus outcome of the first player when it is determined that the bonus event is not a shared bonus event;

determining if the second player has placed the side bet;

operating the bonus event after determining if the side bet has been placed;

analyzing the bonus outcome after operation of the bonus event when the side bet has been placed; and

awarding credits to the second player for the side bet based on the analysis of the bonus outcome.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the side bet placed by the second player includes a side bet regarding at least one of the bonus outcomes including a minimum bonus outcome amount, a maximum bonus outcome amount, a minimum number of bonus picks made, or a maximum number of bonus picks made.

8 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising operating a single-player bonus event for the first player when the second player declines the invitation to participate in the shared bonus event.

9 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising respectively incrementing a first player score and a second player score in proportion to credits earned by the first player and the second player during the bonus event.

10 . A method of operating a shared bonus event on a gaming device, the method comprising:

transferring game play from a base game being played on a first gaming station of the gaming device to the shared bonus event;

transferring game player from a base game being played on a second gaming station of the gaming device to the shared bonus event;

displaying a plurality of selectable objects at the first gaming station and the second gaming station;

receiving a player input from the first player, the player input indicating a first object from the plurality of selectable objects;

revealing a first prize value associated with the first object;

awarding the first prize value to the first player;

receiving a player input from the second player, the player input indicating a second object from the plurality of selectable objects;

revealing a second prize value associated with the second object; and

awarding the second prize value to the second player.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first player station and the second player station share a common gaming display, the plurality of selectable objects being displayed across the common gaming display.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

rendering the first object unselectable for the remainder of the shared bonus event after receiving the player input from the first player; and

rendering the second object unselectable for the remainder of the shared bonus event after receiving the player input from the second player.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first player station and the second player station share a common gaming display partitioned into a first display portion and a second display portion, the plurality of selectable objects being repetitively displayed on the first and second display portions of the common gaming display.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

rendering the first object unselectable for the remainder of the shared bonus event after receiving the player input from the first player; and

rendering the second object unselectable for the remainder of the shared bonus event after receiving the player input from the second player.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first player station and the second player station share a common gaming display partitioned into a first display portion and a second display portion, a first portion of the plurality of selectable objects displayed on the first display portion and a second portion of the plurality of selectable objects displayed on the second display portion.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first player station and the second player station respectively include a first gaming display and a second gaming display, the plurality of selectable objects being repetitively displayed on the first and second gaming displays.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

rendering the first object unselectable for a remainder of the shared bonus event after receiving the player input from the first player; and

rendering the second object unselectable for a remainder of the shared bonus event after receiving the player input from the second player.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first player station and the second player stations respectively include a first gaming display and a second gaming display, a first portion of the plurality of selectable objects displayed on the first gaming display and a second portion of the plurality of selectable objects displayed on the second gaming display.

19 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

alternately receiving additional player inputs from the first and second players until a predetermined threshold of player selections has been met; and

transferring game play from the shared bonus event back to the respective base games being played at the first and second gaming stations.

20 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

alternately receiving additional player inputs from the first and second players until a first bonus-ending symbol is selected by one of the first or second player;

receiving additional player inputs from the player that did not select the first bonus-ending symbol until a second bonus-ending symbol is selected; and

transferring game play from the shared bonus event back to the respective base games being played at the first and second gaming stations.