Gaming machine bonus
View Patent ↗A bonus game having multiple levels of play includes credit-based and jackpot awards at one or more of the levels. The jackpot awards remain at a constant value regardless of the wager made. The expected return at the jackpot award level is generally held constant despite varying wagers through the use of a feature that provides for early termination of the bonus game at one or more levels played prior to that of jackpot award level. A reduced probability of reaching the jackpot award compensates for increased wagers and maintains the expected return constant or increasing with wager.
1. A gaming device comprising:
(a) an input module for receiving a wager requisite for playing a game of chance having a plurality of selectable paylines;
(b) a processor for processing instructions stored at one or more memory storage locations;
(c) an input device for providing data for use by the processor; and
(d) a display module for displaying the game of chance; wherein
(i) the instructions stored in the one or more memory storage locations are executed by the processor after input of the wager through the input module and the input of data through the input device; the data including aspects of the wager comprising a selected denomination from a plurality of denominations, one or more selected paylines from the plurality of selectable paylines; and an amount associated with each of the one or more selected paylines;
(ii) a trigger condition in the game of chance causes a bonus game to be displayed in the display module when the trigger condition is met, the bonus game comprising a plurality of levels with each level having a distinct outcome, at least one level providing credit-based awards and one level providing a jackpot award wherein the at least one level providing credit-based awards precedes the jackpot award level and the distinct outcome at the at least one level providing credit-based awards includes an advance to the next level in the plurality of levels or a termination of the bonus game, wherein the probability of achieving the distinct outcome associated with an advance to the next level increases with an increase in wager and the credit-based awards increase in value with an increase in the wager associated with each of the one or more selected paylines while the jackpot award is of constant value and a constant expected return irrespective of the wager or the number of one or more selected paylines.
2. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein:
the jackpot award is a progressive jackpot that increases in value over time but is a set value at any given moment in time.
3. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein another aspect of the wager includes an ante bet that fully funds the bonus game.
4. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the jackpot award of constant value has an increased probability of entering the jackpot award level with an increase in wager.
5. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein:
the termination of the bonus game occurs when the distinct outcome is associated with a terminating event.
6. The gaming device of claim 5 , wherein:
(a) each of the at least one credit-based award levels includes a total available award value accumulated from the plurality of outcomes; and
(b) the total available award value at each of the at least one credit-based award levels is proportionally increased with an increase in wager and, at those at least one credit-based award levels subsequent to credit-based award levels having said terminating event as at least one of the distinct outcomes, is further increased to retain the same expected return at each of those subsequent credit-based award levels and in the bonus game.
7. The gaming device of claim 6 , wherein:
the total available award value at one or more of the at least one credit-based award levels is adjusted in value with variations in wager to maintain an expected return in the bonus game that increases with an increase in wager.
8. The gaming device of claim 5 , wherein:
the terminating event is a termination symbol that is selected from a plurality of selectable positions.
9. The gaming device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a frequency associated with the trigger condition that controls how often the trigger condition is met, wherein:
the frequency is modified in relation to the wager to effect the expected return of the bonus game.
10. A method of operating a gaming device having an input module, computer code stored in at least one memory module, at least one processor and a display module, comprising:
(a) wagering a first amount through the input module to play a game of chance, the amount associated with a selected denomination, a per-payline wager, and one or more selected paylines;
(b) receiving a chance at triggering a bonus game;
(c) playing a game of chance through the execution of the computer code stored at the at least one memory module by the at least one processor;
(d) displaying the game of chance on the display module;
(e) triggering the display of a bonus game upon the occurrence of a triggering event;
(f) providing a chance to win a jackpot award in the bonus game wherein the jackpot award remains at constant value and independent of the per-payline wager of the one or more selected paylines;
(g) providing the bonus game on the display module with a plurality of playable levels each with a distinct outcome, each playable level providing either a credit-based award or a jackpot award and playable sequentially with the jackpot award level playable after at least one credit-based award level;
(h) maintaining a constant expected return at the jackpot award level irrespective of wager;
(i) providing a plurality of outcomes at each of the at least one credit-based award levels including an advance to the next level in the plurality of levels or one, none or a plurality of terminating events that if selected cause the bonus game to terminate, wherein the probability of achieving the distinct outcome associated with an advance to the next level increases with an increase in wager; and
(j) including the terminating events in the at least one credit-based award levels in quantities and at levels necessary to maintain the jackpot award level of set value and constant expected return irrespective of wager.
11. The game method of claim 10 , further comprising:
(a) wagering a second amount through the input module to receive the chance at triggering a bonus game; and
(b) triggering the bonus game upon the occurrence of a triggering event if said second amount was optionally wagered.
12. The gaming method of claim 10 , wherein the probability of entering the jackpot award level increases with an increase in wager.
13. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming devices of claim 3 in communication through a network, wherein:
(a) aspects of the jackpot award are controlled through the network, including delivery of the constant value associated with the jackpot award to any of the plurality of gaming devices upon a winning outcome associated with the jackpot award;
(b) at least one of the plurality of gaming devices has a different number of selected paylines from the plurality of selectable paylines from at least one other of the plurality of gaming devices, and
(c) an adjustment is made to the probability of reaching the jackpot award level on at least one of the plurality of gaming devices to maintain the constant expected return at the jackpot award level for all of the plurality of gaming devices.
14. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein:
the adjustment is made to the at least one of the plurality of gaming devices having a lesser number of selected paylines by including one or more termination symbols at the credit-based award levels that precede the jackpot award level.
15. The gaming system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a frequency associated with the trigger condition that controls how often the trigger condition is met, wherein:
the frequency is modified in relation to the wager to effect the expected return of the bonus game.