Abstract: An embodiment may involve a software application executed on behalf of a client machine with a graphical display unit, where the software application involves graphically displaying, on vertical symbol display segments of the graphical display unit, animations that simulate spinning a plurality of reels, and where each reel contains a respective plurality of symbols, subsets of which are displayable in a respective vertical symbol display segment corresponding to the reel. The embodiment may also involve iterations of: selecting a set of symbols including a locking symbol when (i) the locking symbol was locked in place from a previous spin and has been used in fewer than 3 winning combinations, or (ii) the locking symbol was initially selected during the spin of the reels; and causing the graphical display unit to display an animation of the spin of the reels in which the instance of the locking symbol remains in place.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed related to simulated live dealer games. A computing device can receive a request to play a game of chance that includes a plurality of game actions ordered by a game sequence. The computing device can play the game of chance by: determining a particular game action based on the game sequence; determining a plurality of pre-recorded video segments related to the particular game action, where each of the pre-recorded video segments records a respective instance of the particular game action being performed by a person; selecting a particular pre-recorded video segment from the plurality of pre-recorded video segments; and generating a display related to the particular game action that includes at least a portion of the particular pre-recorded video segment.

Abstract: An embodiment may involve a software application executed on behalf of a client machine with a graphical display unit, where the software application involves graphically displaying, on vertical symbol display segments of the graphical display unit, animations that simulate spinning a plurality of reels, and where each reel contains a respective plurality of symbols, subsets of which are displayable in a respective vertical symbol display segment corresponding to the reel. The embodiment may further involve selecting a first set of symbols defining respective positions of each of the reels, and causing the graphical display unit to display an animation that simulates spinning of the reels resulting in the vertical symbol display segments displaying the first set of symbols. The embodiment may further involve determining that the first set of symbols includes exactly one or two trigger symbols, and replacing each of the trigger symbols with a replacement symbol.

Abstract: An embodiment may involve selecting a first bonus set of symbols associated with respective positions of each of a plurality of reels as a first bonus outcome event of the bonus game. The embodiment may further involve incrementing a bonus counter by a number of instances of a predetermined symbol, in the bonus symbol set, that do not contribute to any winning combination. The embodiment may also involve determining that the bonus counter is at least equal to a threshold number. The embodiment may additionally involve selecting a second bonus set of symbols associated with respective positions of each of the reels as a second bonus outcome event of the bonus game, where the second bonus set of symbols includes at least the threshold number of instances of the predetermined symbol, and where the second bonus set of symbols includes a winning combination.

Abstract: A gaming server device may conduct a networked bingo game with client devices, each client device associated with a respective bingo ticket. Conducting the game may involve: (i) randomly selecting symbols from the symbol set, (ii) marking the selected symbols on any bingo tickets that contain the selected symbols, and (iii) repeating the random selecting and marking until one or more of the bingo tickets are marked with a winning pattern. The gaming server device may transmit an offer to a particular client device associated with a particular bingo ticket that is not marked with the winning pattern. The offer may be for the gaming server device to randomly select a further symbol from the symbol set at a cost to the particular client device, where the cost is based on an expected gain that acceptance of the offer provides to the particular client device.

Abstract: An embodiment may involve selecting a set of symbols associated with an outcome event of a reel-based game. The reel-based game may be executed on behalf of a client machine, and selecting the set of symbols may involve spinning a plurality of reels to determine the outcome event. The embodiment may further involve determining that the set of symbols includes a predetermined symbol on a designated reel and does not include any winning combination. The embodiment may also involve, possibly in response to determining that the set of symbols includes the predetermined symbol on the designated reel and does not include any winning combination, replacing one or more symbols in the set of symbols with predetermined symbols such that the symbol set after replacement includes a winning combination.

Abstract: A reel-based game may be executed behalf of a client machine. The game may involve spinning a plurality of reels to determine outcome events. The game may involve selecting a first set of symbols associated with respective positions of each of the reels, where the first set of symbols represents an outcome event of a base game. The game may involve determining that the outcome event includes a trigger event that causes execution of a bonus game, and selecting a second set of symbols associated with respective positions of each of the reels. The game may involve locking instances of a predetermined symbol that are not part of a winning combination, and selecting a third set of symbols associated with the respective positions of each of the reels. The third set of symbols may include the locked predetermined symbols from the second set of symbols.

Abstract: An embodiment may involve selecting a set of symbols associated with an outcome event of a reel-based game. The reel-based game may be executed on behalf of a client machine, and selecting the set of symbols may involve spinning a plurality of reels to determine the outcome event. The embodiment may further involve determining that the set of symbols includes a predetermined symbol on a designated reel and does not include any winning combination. The embodiment may also involve, possibly in response to determining that the set of symbols includes the predetermined symbol on the designated reel and does not include any winning combination, replacing one or more symbols in the set of symbols with predetermined symbols such that the symbol set after replacement includes a winning combination.

Abstract: Machines and methods are described for displaying a predetermined symbol and a set of symbols selected from a global symbol set. A first symbol position can be randomly selected for displaying the predetermined symbol, which can include a multiplier meter to display a multiplier value randomly selectable from multiple multiplier values. A second symbol position can be randomly selected for displaying the predetermined symbol after moving along a path from the first symbol position. The predetermined symbol can be displayed as part of a predetermined number of outcome events earned upon determination that a trigger event occurred. A server machine can select symbol positions, multiplier values and symbol sets and provide data indicating the symbol positions, multiplier values and symbol sets to a client machine. The client machine can include a display to display the symbol sets, and multiplier values within a predetermined symbol.

Abstract: A gaming machine may award a number of spins of a plurality of reels in an instance of the bonus game. A symbol counter may be set to an initial value. Until the awarded number of bonus game spins have been performed, the gaming machine may repeatedly carry out iterations of bonus game operations including: (i) selecting a first symbol set or a second symbol set for display on the plurality of reels, where the first symbol set excludes a predetermined symbol, where the second symbol set includes a number of the predetermined symbol equivalent to the symbol counter, and where, when the second symbol set is selected, the symbol counter is incremented, and (ii) transmitting, to a client machine, a representation of the selected symbol set.

Abstract: A gaming machine may determine that a trigger event for a bonus game occurred during a base outcome event of a base game, wherein the base game and the bonus game are both reel-based games being executed on behalf of a client machine. In response, the gaming machine may award use of two or more replaceable symbols for the bonus game. Until all of the replaceable symbols have been used, the gaming machine may repeatedly carry out iterations of bonus game operations including: determining a symbol set for display on a plurality of reels, where the symbol set includes non-replaceable symbols and zero or more replaceable symbols, and where each displayed replaceable symbol is successively replaced in the display by either a new non-replaceable symbol or a new replaceable symbol until no displayed replaceable symbols remain on the plurality of reels.

Abstract: A gaming machine may determine that a trigger event for a bonus game occurred during a base outcome event of a base game. The base game and the bonus game may both be reel-based games being executed on behalf of a client machine. The symbols on each reel may include at least two unstacked wild symbols. In response to determining that the trigger event occurred, an instance of the bonus game may be awarded. A special symbol may be included on each reel for the bonus game. Until all of the reels contain stacked wild symbols, iterations of bonus game operations may be repeatedly carried out. These operations may include determining a symbol set for display on the plurality of reels, where any special symbol appearing on a particular reel results in the wild symbols on the particular reel being stacked.

Abstract: In one example, disclosed is a method for use with at least one die, wherein each of the at least one die is configured to have multiple resting positions and includes multiple symbols disposed thereon, and wherein for each of the at least one die, each of the multiple resting positions of that die corresponds with a respective one of the multiple symbols of that die. The method involves: the electronic gaming machine causing each of the at least one die to randomly land in one of the multiple resting positions of that die; for each of the at least one die, the electronic gaming machine determining the symbol that corresponds with the landed resting position of that die; and the electronic gaming machine performing an action based, at least in part, on the at least one determined symbol.

Abstract: Machines and methods are described for displaying a particular symbol at a corresponding symbol position for multiple consecutive outcome events, such as outcome events including a wager game played on a stand-alone machine located within a casino or a machine within a client-server architecture. After displaying the particular symbol for a first outcome event, the particular symbol can be displayed at the same symbol position within a symbol-display-portion for one or more successive outcome events without the particular symbol being selected to be displayed at the same symbol position. Other symbols displayed within the symbol-display-portion for the first and successive outcome events can be determined or selected by a processor using a random selection process. The particular symbol can be a Wild symbol. A data structure can include data for tracking whether the particular symbol is locked down for an outcome event after the first outcome event.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are wager game machines and methods. In one example, a method involves: selecting a first symbol set from a global symbol group; displaying the first symbol set, wherein the first symbol set includes at least two symbols; determining that a trigger event has occurred; responsive to determining that the trigger event has occurred, identifying at least one symbol in the first symbol set that is in a replaceable symbol group which is a subset of the global symbol group; for the or each symbol in the first symbol set which is in the replaceable symbol group, selecting a replacement symbol that is in the global symbol group; and displaying a second symbol set consisting of (i) the symbols in the first symbol set which are not in the replaceable symbol group, and (ii) the or each replacement symbol.

Abstract: A gaming server hosts a turn of a zero-sum game played by a plurality of players via a plurality of websites, each of the websites having a respective clearing account. The application server determines for each player a respective player value contribution based on the wagering activity of the player during the turn and a respective player value indicator associated with the player. The application server determines a total player value contribution based on the player value contributions of all of the players who played during the turn. The application server determines for each player a respective rake allocation based on the player value contribution of the player and the total player contribution. The application server credits each website's clearing account based on the respective rake allocation of each player who used the website to play the game during the turn.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are wager game machines and methods. In one example, a method involves: selecting a first symbol set from a global symbol group; displaying the first symbol set, wherein the first symbol set includes at least two symbols; determining that a trigger event has occurred; responsive to determining that the trigger event has occurred, identifying at least one symbol in the first symbol set that is in a replaceable symbol group which is a subset of the global symbol group; for the or each symbol in the first symbol set which is in the replaceable symbol group, selecting a replacement symbol that is in the global symbol group; and displaying a second symbol set consisting of (i) the symbols in the first symbol set which are not in the replaceable symbol group, and (ii) the or each replacement symbol.

Abstract: A gaming server hosts a turn of a zero-sum game played by a plurality of players via a plurality of websites, each of the websites having a respective clearing account. The application server determines for each player a respective player value contribution based on the wagering activity of the player during the turn and a respective player value indicator associated with the player. The application server determines a total player value contribution based on the player value contributions of all of the players who played during the turn. The application server determines for each player a respective rake allocation based on the player value contribution of the player and the total player contribution. The application server credits each website's clearing account based on the respective rake allocation of each player who used the website to play the game during the turn.