Distributed bonus feature
View Patent ↗Systems and operations for a distributed bonus game feature for wagering game systems are disclosed. In one example, a wagering game may award a bonus game to a player. A delay period is set for the bonus game. The delay period and other details regarding the bonus game are persistently stored on a paper ticket or in a database on a wagering game server. The bonus game may be initiated (after the delay period) on a different wagering game machine than the machine that awarded the bonus game. In a second example, funding for a bonus game for a player may be determined in accordance with a random number generator on a wagering game machine currently occupied by a player. If the player moves to a different machine, output from a random number generator on the new machine may be used to determine continued funding for the bonus game.
1. A method for providing a delayed bonus game, the method comprising:
presenting on an electronic display device of a first wagering game machine a wagering game, the first wagering game machine including one or more processors, one or more electronic input devices, a random element generator and a ticket printer;
detecting, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiating the wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
determining by the one or more processors, based at least in part on an output of the random element generator, to award a bonus game associated with the wagering game;
associating the bonus game with a paper ticket;
determining a delay period associated with the bonus game;
storing the delay period on a persistent storage device; and
providing, by the ticket printer, the paper ticket, said providing including printing an indicator of the delay period on the paper ticket.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reading the paper ticket on a machine separate from the first wagering game machine; and
in response to determining that the paper ticket was read after the delay period, omitting presentation of the bonus game and awarding a bonus amount for the bonus game.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the persistent storage device comprises the paper ticket and wherein storing the delay period includes encoding the delay period onto the paper ticket.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein encoding the delay period includes encoding the delay period in a first bar code printed on the paper ticket separate from a second bar code used to indicate a cash value for the paper ticket.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein persistently storing the delay period includes associating the delay period with a paper ticket identifier of the paper ticket and storing the paper ticket identifier and the delay period on the persistent storage device.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a bonus amount for the bonus game prior to printing the paper ticket; and
encoding the bonus amount on the paper ticket.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing, by the ticket printer, the paper ticket is in response to a bonus game event trigger.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining that the paper ticket is presented on a second wagering game machine and that the delay period has passed, determining, based at least in part on information read from the paper ticket, the bonus game and initiating the bonus game on the second wagering game machine.
9. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions, that when executed by one or more processors of a gaming system, cause the gaming system to:
present on an electronic display device of a first wagering game machine a wagering game, the first wagering game machine including one or more electronic input devices, a random element generator and a ticket printer;
detect, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiate the wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
determine, based at least in part on an output of the random element generator, to award a bonus game associated with the wagering game;
associate the bonus game with a paper ticket;
determine a delay period associated with the bonus game;
store the delay period on a persistent storage device; and
provide, by the ticket printer, the paper ticket, said provision including printing an indicator of the delay period on the paper ticket.
10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the machine executable instructions further cause the gaming system to:
read the paper ticket on a machine separate from the first wagering game machine; and
in response to a determination that the paper ticket was read after the delay period, omit presentation of the bonus game and award a bonus amount for the bonus game.
11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the persistent storage device comprises the paper ticket and wherein the machine executable instructions to store the delay period include machine executable instructions to encode the delay period onto the paper ticket.
12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the machine executable instructions to encode the delay period include machine executable instructions to encode the delay period in a first bar code printed on the paper ticket separate from a second bar code used to indicate a cash value for the paper ticket.
13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the machine executable instructions to persistently store the delay period include machine executable instructions to associate the delay period with a paper ticket identifier of the paper ticket and store the paper ticket identifier and the delay period in the persistent storage device.
14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the machine executable instructions further cause the gaming system to:
determine a bonus amount for the bonus game prior to printing the paper ticket; and
encoding the bonus amount on the paper ticket.
15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein providing, by the ticket printer, the paper ticket is in response to a bonus game event trigger.
16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the machine executable instructions further cause the gaming system to:
in response to a determination that the paper ticket is presented on a second wagering game machine and that the delay period has passed, determine, based at least in part on information read from the paper ticket, the bonus game and initiate the bonus game on the second wagering game machine.
17. A first wagering game machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one wagering game, the first wagering game machine comprising:
an electronic display device;
one or more electronic input devices;
a ticket printer; and
one or more processors coupled to the electronic display device, the one or more electronic input devices, and the ticket printer, the one or more processors to execute instructions to cause the first wagering game machine to:
detect, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiate the at least one wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
determine to award a bonus game associated with the at least one wagering game;
associate the bonus game with a paper ticket;
determine a delay period associated with the bonus game;
store the delay period on a persistent storage device; and
provide, by the ticket printer, the paper ticket, said provision including printing an indicator of the delay period on the paper ticket.
18. The first wagering game machine of claim 17 , wherein the persistent storage device comprises the paper ticket and wherein the instructions to store the delay period include instructions to encode the delay period onto the paper ticket.
19. The first wagering game machine of claim 18 , wherein the instructions to encode the delay period include instructions to encode the delay period in a first bar code printed on the paper ticket separate from a second bar code used to indicate a cash value for the paper ticket.
20. The first wagering game machine of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the first wagering game machine to:
determine a bonus amount for the bonus game prior to printing the paper ticket; and
encoding the bonus amount on the paper ticket.