DETERMINATION OF GAME RESULT USING RANDOM OVERALL OUTCOME

1 . A method of determining a game outcome on a gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving a game initiating input;

selecting a single random number;

determining if the single random number corresponds to a winning game outcome;

displaying the winning game outcome corresponding to the single random number when the single random number corresponds to a winning game outcome; and

displaying a losing game outcome when the single random number does not correspond to a winning game outcome.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying a losing game outcome includes selecting a losing game outcome from a plurality of losing game outcomes to display.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying a losing game outcome includes:

selecting a game outcome display;

determining if the selected game outcome display corresponds to a losing game outcome display;

displaying the selected game outcome display when the selected game outcome display corresponds to a losing game outcome display; and

selecting another game outcome display until a selected game outcome display corresponds to a losing game outcome display when the selected game outcome display corresponds to a winning game outcome display.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein selecting a game outcome display includes randomly selecting reel stops for a spinning reel gaming device.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein selecting a game outcome display includes randomly selecting cards to display in a video poker gaming device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying a losing game outcome includes displaying a near-miss losing outcome when a determination indicates that a near-miss losing outcome is to be displayed.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein displaying a near-miss losing outcome includes randomly selecting one of a plurality of near-miss losing outcomes to display.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if the single random number corresponds to a winning game outcome includes:

normalizing the single random number to correspond to a numerical format of an outcome table;

matching the normalized single random number with an entry in the outcome table; and

determining if the matched outcome table entry is associated with a winning game outcome.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the winning game outcome corresponding to the single random number includes:

determining reel stops associated with symbols corresponding to the winning game outcome; and

spinning game reels to the determined reel stops.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining reel stops associated with symbols corresponding to the winning game outcome includes randomly selecting one of a plurality of reel stops that correspond to the symbols.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining reel stops associated with symbols corresponding to the winning game outcome includes selecting a next reel stop from a plurality of reel stops that correspond to the symbols.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if the single random number corresponds to a winning game outcome includes determining if the single random number corresponds to a winning video poker hand.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein displaying the winning game outcome corresponding to the single random number includes:

selecting cards associated with the winning poker hand;

selecting additional cards to complete a set of cards used in a dealt hand and a reserved draw hand;

rearranging a presentation order of the winning cards and the additional cards to form the dealt hand and the reserved draw hand;

determining if the winning game outcome would be reached by a player using a best strategy;

repeating the rearranging of the card presentation order process and determination process until it is determined that the winning outcome would be reached using a best strategy;

thereafter, displaying the dealt hand to the player;

receiving at least one player input to manage the dealt hand and draw additional cards from the reserved draw hand if desired; and

displaying a final poker hand to the player.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting additional cards to complete a set of cards used in a dealt hand and a reserved draw hand includes:

determining if a combination of the winning poker cards and the selected additional cards result in a larger winning hand than the determined winning game outcome; and

selecting another set of additional cards until the combination of cards does not result in a larger winning hand than the determined winning game outcome.

15 . A method of determining and displaying a game outcome on a gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving a game initiating input;

obtaining a game outcome indicator;

selecting one of a plurality of possible outcomes as the game outcome using the game outcome indicator, wherein the plurality of possible outcomes includes a plurality of winning game outcomes associated with a prize and a generic losing outcome;

when the selected game outcome is associated with a prize:

determining display characteristics of the game outcome,

displaying the game outcome using the determined display characteristics, and

awarding the prize associated with the game outcome; and

when the selected game outcome is associated with the generic losing outcome:

selecting an outcome to display,

determining if the selected outcome is associated with a losing result,

repeating the selection of an outcome until the selected outcome is associated with a losing result, and

displaying the selected outcome associated with a losing result.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of possible outcomes further includes at least one near-miss losing outcome.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising when the selected game outcome is associated with a near-miss losing outcome:

determining display characteristics of the game outcome; and

displaying the game outcome using the determined display characteristics.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the gaming device is a multi-line gaming device.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein when the selected game outcome is associated with a prize, the method further comprises:

identifying each of the played paylines; and

selecting one of the played paylines to display the game outcome.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein when the selected game outcome is associated with a prize, the method further comprises:

determining if any additional winning combinations appear on a played payline other than the payline chosen to display the game outcome; and

awarding prizes for any additional winning combinations determined as appearing on a played payline.

21 . A method of determining and displaying a game outcome on a multi-line gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving a game initiating input;

determining a game outcome for each played payline;

when at least one of the game outcomes is associated with a prize:

separately displaying each of the game outcomes, and

awarding the prize associated with each displayed game outcome; and

when all of the game outcomes are associated with a losing outcome:

selecting a losing outcome to display, and

displaying the losing outcome.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein determining a game outcome for each played payline includes:

determining a game outcome for a first played payline;

storing the game outcome in memory if the game outcome is associated with a prize; and

repeating the determination and storage processes until a game outcome has been determined for each played payline.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein separately displaying each of the game outcomes when at least one of the game outcomes is associated with a prize includes spinning game reels to display a determined game outcome for each of the game outcomes associated with a prize.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein each game outcome is displayed on a common payline.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein each game outcome is displayed on a played payline corresponding to the game outcome.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein reel stop positions corresponding to the played payline corresponding to a game outcome are highlighted prior to the game reels spinning.

27 . A method of determining and displaying a game outcome on a multi-line gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving a game initiating input;

determining a game outcome for each played payline;

storing a game outcome having the largest associated prize in memory when at least one of the determined game outcomes is associated with a prize;

storing a selected losing outcome in memory when none of the game outcomes are associated with a prize; and

displaying the stored game outcome.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein storing a selected losing outcome in memory when none of the game outcomes is associated with a prize includes:

randomly selecting a losing outcome; and

storing the randomly selected losing outcome in memory.

29 . The method of claim 27 , wherein storing a game outcome having the largest associated prize in memory if at least one of the determined game outcomes is associated with a prize includes:

comparing a prize amount for a determined game outcome with a prize amount for a previously stored game outcome; and

replacing the previously stored game outcome with the determined game outcome when the prize amount for the determined game outcome is larger than the prize amount for the previously stored game outcome.

30 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising awarding a prize associated with a stored game outcome when the stored game outcome is associated with a prize.

31 . A game device comprising:

a player interface panel including at least one game initiation device;

a memory to store a plurality of possible outcomes including each outcome associated with an award and a generic losing outcome;

a processor configured to determine a game outcome from the plurality of possible outcomes and configured to determine display parameters of the game outcome; and

a game display to show the game outcome having the determined display parameters.

32 . The gaming device of claim 31 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of a game outcome associated with an award by selecting reel stops corresponding to the game outcome.

33 . The gaming device of claim 31 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of a losing game outcome by selecting reel stops and confirming that the selected reel stops do not result in a winning outcome.

34 . The gaming device of claim 31 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of a game outcome associated with an award by selecting cards corresponding to the game outcome.

35 . The gaming device of claim 34 , wherein the processor is further configured to rearrange an order of the selected cards and confirm that the rearranged order will result in the game outcome using a best strategy.

36 . The gaming device of claim 31 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of a losing game outcome by selecting cards and confirming that the selected cards do not result in a winning outcome when using a best strategy.

37 . The gaming device of claim 31 , wherein the plurality of possible outcomes includes each outcome associated with an award and only one generic losing outcome.

38 . The gaming device of claim 37 , wherein each of the plurality of possible outcomes has a corresponding table range with which it is associated.

39 . The gaming device of claim 38 , wherein the table ranges of each outcome is associated with the hit frequency of that game outcome.

40 . The gaming device of claim 39 , wherein the memory is modifiable by a casino operator to alter the table ranges of each outcome.

41 . The gaming device of claim 39 , wherein the table ranges stored in the memory are modifiable based on game events occurring on the game device.

42 . The gaming device of claim 39 , wherein the table ranges stored in the memory are modifiable based on characteristics of a player.