Abstract: A gaming device may have at least one display configured to present a first game of chance, a game manager configured to initiate the first game of chance, a session manager configured to manage a user game play session involving the first game of chance, and a near-hit manager, wherein the near-hit manager can be configured to determine whether a near-hit triggering event occurs during the first game of chance, and then determine a near-hit award credit associated with the near-hit triggering event and record each of the near-hit award credits obtained during the user game play session.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system to acquire and display casino data on a portable electronic device may include a portable electronic device having a processor operative with a real-time location based data application to transmit the location of the portable electronic device and acquire, prioritize, store and display real-time casino data. The real-time casino data may be periodically updated based on the location of the portable electronic device and visually presented to a user on a display of the portable electronic device.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system to present at least one game offering on a display of a gaming machine may include a portable electronic device having a processor operative with a spontaneous interest data application to acquire spontaneous interest data. A memory may store the spontaneous interest data and the spontaneous interest data application. The spontaneous interest data application may save the spontaneous interest data to the memory, and a data transfer interface can transfer the spontaneous interest data to a second device.

Abstract: An asynchronous persistent group bonus game system, method and apparatus may have a plurality of gaming machines including a first processor and a bonus server having a second processor. The first processor may be configured to: determine when a bonus game session event is triggered, transmit a bonus game session request to the second processor, and receive an end session notification from the second processor. The second processor may be configured to execute and maintain the always-on asynchronous persistent group bonus game, receive a bonus game session request from at least one of the plurality of gaming machines, instantiate a bonus game session inside the continuous asynchronous persistent group bonus game for the at least one gaming machine, determine when an end session trigger has been triggered for the bonus game session, and transmit an end session notification to the at least one gaming machine if it is determined that the end session condition has been triggered.

Abstract: Gaming machines and systems are configured to present viral gaming events. Once a viral gaming event is triggered, it is presented at one or more first gaming machines at a first time. The viral gaming events spreads to other gaming machines, such as one or more second gaming machines where it is presented at a later time. The viral gaming event may continue to spread to numerous gaming machines. The viral gaming event may comprise a game or a bonus or secondary event, such as a bonus award event to a base wagering game presented by the gaming machine. Feedback or metrics may be used to control the machines to which the viral gaming event spreads and/or the rate of spread.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for preserving game state data for an asynchronous persistent group bonus game may have a plurality of gaming machines associated with the asynchronous persistent group bonus game and at least one network server having at least one processor and at least one non-volatile memory. The processor may be configured to determine whether a bonus game session is triggered on any of the plurality of gaming machines; and if the bonus game session is triggered, display live game monitor activities, and periodically save the persistent bonus game state and other data on the at least one non-volatile memory.