Game and gaming machine having bingo-type bonus event
A main or base game has an associated bingo-type matching bonus game or event. The main or base game may have a winning outcome with an associated base award. Upon the occurrence of certain events, such as matches of symbols used in the main game, one or more bonus indicia, such as bingo balls, are generated. These bonus indicia are compared to a player's bonus indicia, such as bingo numbers on a player's bingo card, for matching. If one or more designated matches, such as matching patterns, are achieved, the player may be awarded a bonus event award.
1. A method of presenting a game to a player of a gaming machine having a wager accepting device, at least one electronic video display and at least one player input device, comprising the machine-implemented steps of:
assigning said player at least one bonus game card to be used in conjunction with play of one or more base games, said at least one bonus game card having associated bonus game indicia:
displaying said at least one bonus game card to said player via said at least one electronic video display;
a. presenting a base game comprising:
displaying base game information via said at least one electronic video display of said gaming machine, said base game information comprising a plurality of base game indicia; and
determining an outcome of said base game, wherein if said outcome of said base game is a winning outcome, awarding a base game award to said player;
b. determining if one or more matching conditions of base game indicia have occurred relative to said base game and, if so:
generating and displaying via said at least one electronic video display at least one bonus game indicia, wherein a number of generated and displayed bonus game indicia depends upon a number of said matching conditions, wherein one or more numbers of matching conditions may result in generation of two or more bonus game indicia; and
designating matches to said at least one bonus game card by comparing said at least one generated bonus game indicia to the bonus game indicia associated with the at least one bonus game card assigned to said player for matches thereto; and
c. if at least one winning configuration of one or more matches of bonus game indicia associated with at least one of said bonus game cards has resulted, awarding a bonus game award to said player, and if not, repeating steps a. and b. at least once relative to the same at least one bonus game card and awarding a bonus game award to said player if at least one winning configuration of matches of bonus game indicia has occurred as a result of the play of the multiple base games.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gaming machine comprises a computer or mobile electronic device.
3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the number of generated bonus game indicia varies depending upon the number of matching conditions of base game indicia.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one generated bonus game indicia comprises a graphical representation of one or more bingo balls bearing bingo numbers.
5. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said at least one bonus game card having associated bonus game indicia comprises at least one bingo card bearing bingo numbers.
6. The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said at least one bingo card is randomly selected and assigned to said player.
7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said matching condition of base game indicia comprises three or more matching base game indicia.
8. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said matching base game indicia occur along a row or a column of a matrix of said base game indicia.
9. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said matching base game indicia occur along at least one active payline.
10. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said number of bonus game indicia increases non-linearly to said numbers of matching conditions of base game indicia.
11. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said base game is a skill based game in which said outcome depends in part upon one or more inputs from said player.
12. A gaming machine configured to present a game to a player comprising:
a controller;
at least one electronic video display;
at least one player input device;
machine-readable code executable by said controller to assign said player at least one bonus game card having associated bonus game indicia and cause said at least one electronic video display to display said at least one bonus game card;
machine readable code executable by said controller to cause said at least one electronic video display to display base game information, said base game information comprising a plurality of base game indicia;
machine-readable code execute by said controller to determine an outcome of said base game, wherein if said outcome of said base game is a winning outcome, said gaming machine is configured to award a base game award to said player;
machine-readable code executed by said controller to determine if one or more matching conditions of base game indicia have occurred relative to said base game and, if so:
generating at least one bonus game indicia and displaying said bonus game indicia on said at least one electronic video display, wherein a number of generated bonus game indicia depends upon a number of said matching conditions, wherein one or more numbers of matching conditions may result in generation of two or more bonus game indicia; and
comparing said at least one generated bonus game indicia to the bonus game indicia associated with the at least one bonus game card assigned to said player; and
machine-readable code executed by said controller to award a bonus award to said player if at least one winning configuration of one or more matches of bonus game indicia associated with at least one of said bonus game cards has resulted, and if not, to present at least one additional base game instance relative to the same at least one bonus game card and award a bonus game award to said player if at least one winning configuration of matches of bonus game indicia has occurred as a result of the play of the multiple base games.
13. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said gaming machine comprises a player's computer.
14. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said gaming machine comprises a player's mobile electronic device.
15. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said at least one generated bonus game indicia comprises a graphical representation of one or more bingo balls bearing bingo numbers.
16. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 15 wherein said at least one bonus game card comprises at least one bingo card bearing bingo numbers.
17. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 16 at least one bingo card is randomly selected and assigned to said player.
18. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said matching condition of base game indicia comprises three or more matching base game indicia.
19. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said base game is a skill based game in which said outcome depends in part upon one or more inputs from said player to said gaming machine.
20. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein the number of generated bonus game indicia varies depending upon the number of matching conditions of base game indicia.