Networked Gaming System and Method Providing Multiple Group Play Awards Based on Different Criteria
Disclosed are systems and methods for group play gaming including multiple variations of awards. Upon a triggering event, gaming machines operate in a group play mode which includes multiple award opportunities for each player which may include a grand prize award, one or more mystery prize awards, and one or more progressive awards.
1 . A networked group play gaming system comprising:
a group play controller;
a plurality of gaming machines operably connected to the group play controller and operable in a group play mode to compete for one or more awards based on achieving a highest score;
the group play controller providing one or more additional mystery awards based on scoring criteria other than the highest score.
2 . The system as in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the gaming machines transmits data relevant to the performance of the group game play to the group play controller.
3 . The system as in claim 2 , wherein the data comprises at least one of:
total wagers,
total tournament points won by the at least one gaming machine,
time elapsed,
time remaining,
games played,
games remaining, and
gaming machine symbol combinations.
4 . The system as in claim 1 , the scoring criteria being based on at least one of:
aggregate tournament wagers of one or more gaming machines reaching a pre-selected random value,
aggregate tournament winnings of one or more gaming machines reaching a pre-selected random value,
aggregate tournament game plays of one or more gaming machines reaching a pre-selected random value,
elapsed tournament play time reaching a pre-selected random time, and
a particular symbol combination obtained on a gaming machine.
5 . The system as in claim 1 , the one or more awards automatically dispensed by one or more of the plurality of gaming machines.
6 . The system as in claim 5 , the one or more awards comprising one or more of:
a printed voucher,
a coupon,
an electronic funds transfer,
a smart card credit, and
player club points.
7 . The system of claim 1 , at least one of the one or more awards comprising an attendant pay.
8 . The system of claim 1 , the one or more awards comprising a non-cash award.
9 . The system of claim 8 , the non-cash award comprising at least one of:
a vacation,
a free buffet,
one or more show tickets, and
a number of tournament points added to a player's tournament score.
10 . A networked group play gaming system comprising:
a group play controller;
a plurality of gaming machines operably connected to the group play controller and operable in a group play mode to compete for one or more awards based on achieving a highest score;
the group play controller providing one or more additional progressive awards based on scoring criteria other than the highest score.
11 . The system as in claim 10 , wherein at least one of the gaming machines transmits data relevant to the performance of the group game play to the group play controller.
12 . The system as in claim 11 , wherein the data comprises at least one of:
total wagers,
total tournament points won by the at least one gaming machine,
time elapsed,
time remaining,
games played,
games remaining, and
gaming machine symbol combinations.
13 . The system as in claim 10 , the scoring criteria being based on at least one of:
aggregate tournament wagers of one or more gaming machines reaching a pre-selected random value,
aggregate tournament winnings of one or more gaming machines reaching a pre-selected random value,
aggregate tournament game plays of one or more gaming machines reaching a pre-selected random value,
elapsed tournament play time reaching a pre-selected random time, and
a particular symbol combination obtained on a gaming machine.
14 . The system as in claim 10 , the one or more awards automatically dispensed by one or more of the plurality of gaming machines.
15 . The system as in claim 14 , the one or more automatically dispensed awards comprising one or more of:
a printed voucher,
a coupon,
an electronic funds transfer,
a smart card credit, and
player club points.
16 . The system as in claim 10 , at least one of the one or more awards comprising an attendant pay.
17 . The system as in claim 10 , the one or more awards comprising a non-cash award.
18 . The system as in claim 17 , the non-cash award comprising at least one of:
a vacation,
a free buffet,
one or more show tickets, and
a number of tournament points added to a player's tournament score.
19 . A group play game comprising:
a base game initiatable by a player and including a group play game initiator outcome;
after an occurrence of the group play game initiator outcome, a group play signal being initiated to query eligibility of one or more additional players;
after identification of two or more group play players, a group play session being initiated wherein the players may compete for two or more prizes or awards based on two or more respective criteria.
20 . A method of operating a group play game including the steps of:
providing a base game initiatable by a player and including a group play game initiator outcome;
after an occurrence of the group play game initiator outcome, initiating a group play signal and querying eligibility of one or more additional players;
identifying two or more group play players based on one or more criteria;
initiating a group play session wherein the group play players compete for two or more prizes or awards based on two or more respective criteria.