Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device's chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.

Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device's chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.

Abstract: A gaming device having a poker game with multiple options for the player to purchase extra cards. In one embodiment a stud five card hand is dealt to the player. The player can keep the five cards or purchase an extra card at a first cost. If the player purchases the first card, the player can thereafter keep the six card hand or purchase a second card at a second higher cost. This cycle is repeated for up to a predetermined number of cards such as five additional cards in one embodiment. When five additional cards are purchased, the game provides any accrued award to the player.

Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device's chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.

Abstract: A primary or secondary game for a gaming device. In one embodiment, the player is provided up to three picks, i.e., picks three contestants. The first two contestants both form potential award offers. The game then provides the greater of the two potential award offers to the player as an initial offer. This initial sequence alternatives includes more than two picks, contestants and potential offers. The offer acceptance feature arises after the initial offer. The player must decide whether to keep the initial offer or forego that offer for a final offer. If the player keeps the offer the game provides that initial offer to the player and ends if the player rejects that initial offer, the game proceeds to build a third and final offer, which is then provided to the player automatically.

Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device's chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.

Abstract: A gaming device and a method of operating a gaming device which include at least one potential award-generating event and at least one guaranteed award-generating event. The award-generating events can include independent games of a composite game or independent plays of a game. For each occurrence of a potential award-generating event, at least one guaranteed award-generating event occurs to provide the player at least one award. In an embodiment, the award-generating events occur simultaneously by being simultaneously displayed to a player and simultaneously played. Even if a terminating event occurs in the potential or guaranteed award-generating event, an award is provided to the player in the guaranteed award-generating event. In an embodiment, the potential award-generating event includes an advancement game and the guaranteed award-generating event includes a random selection game.

Abstract: A gaming machine symbol-bearing reels which are used to play a main game involving, the selection and display of a symbol combination. Bonus events or modifiers are also selected and displayed. This may be an automatic machine function, or the player may have the opportunity to operate a further selection reel, or control buttons. The selected bonus event or modifier may be applied to features associated with or separate from the main game, such as a feature game display to which play can transfer from the main game, or may be applied to subsequent main games which may consist of free spins of the reels, or may be paid for by the player.

Abstract: A gaming device including a matrix having a plurality of positions defining at least one row and at least one column. The matrix includes a plurality of independently operable symbol generators where each of the positions of the matrix includes at least one of the independently operable symbol generators. Each of the symbol generators include a plurality of symbols. The gaming device enables the player to purchase or activate one or more of the symbols based on a wager made by the player. After the player makes a wager the gaming device activates the designated symbols based on the wager made by the player. The gaming device then causes the symbol generators to each generate symbols in the game. The gaming device evaluates the purchased or activatable symbols generated by the symbol generators in the matrix and provides an award to the player for any winning symbol combinations including the purchased or activated symbols displayed by the symbol generators in the matrix.

Abstract: A gaming device which involves a symbol marker which advances along one or more paths. The paths include a plurality of symbols and one or more path change conditions. If a path change condition occurs, the symbol marker moves from one path to a different path. While advancing along certain paths, the player has the opportunity to gain bonus value depending upon which symbol the symbol marker visits. This type of bonus scheme increases player excitement for gaming devices.

Abstract: Coin-operated player-operable entertainment machines, such as fruit machines with symbol-selecting reels, are linked to a common display device. The machines are used to play games which may result in wins, dependent upon at least one machine parameter. The machine parameter may be the percentage pay out for which the machines are set, i.e., the proportion of stake value returned as awards. The percentages may be different for different machines and this may be shown on the common display device.

Abstract: A display device for a player-operable entertainment machine has a rotatable reel (9) with symbols around its periphery. The symbols are defined digitally on a support (27, 30), such as a curved LCD strip, by feed of signals from a signal generating device (28). The support (27) may rotate with the reel. Alternatively the support (30) may be fixed so that the reel (9) rotates but the support (30) is static. In this case the support (30) extends round part only of the periphery of the reel and the feed of signals is such as to define symbols which move with the rotation of the reel (9).

Abstract: A gaming device including a display device having a plurality of award groups and an indicator generator. Each of the award groups includes at least one indicator and at least one award. The indicator generator generates a number of indicators for each of the award groups. The gaming device then indicates the corresponding number of indicators in each of the award columns based on the number of indicators associated with those award columns by the indicator generator. When all of the indicators are accumulated in one or more of the award columns, the gaming device provides the awards associated with those award columns to the player and determines whether to end the game. If the gaming device determines not to end the game, the gaming device resets the indicators in the award columns including the provided wards and enables the player to continue playing the game.

Abstract: A primary or secondary game for a gaming device. In one embodiment, the player is provided up to three picks, i.e., picks three contestants. The first two contestants both form potential award offers. The game then provides the greater of the two potential award offers to the player as an initial offer. This initial sequence alternatives includes more than two picks, contestants and potential offers. The offer acceptance feature arises after the initial offer. The player must decide whether to keep the initial offer or forego that offer for a final offer. If the player keeps the offer the game provides that initial offer to the player and ends if the player rejects that initial offer, the game proceeds to build a third and final offer, which is then provided to the player automatically.

Abstract: A gaming device that selects one or more offer components and forms an initial offer based on the selected offer components. The gaming device enables the player to accept or reject the initial offer. If the player rejects the initial offer (and the player has at least one offer remaining), then a component number modifier generator selects one of a plurality of component number modifiers. The selected component number modifier alters or changes the number of selected offer components by either adding or subtracting at least one offer component to or from the previously selected offer components. If the selected component number modifier is associated with a negative number or value, then the gaming device deselects at least one of the previously selected offer components. The remaining selected offer components form a subsequent offer which the gaming device enables the player to accept or reject.

Abstract: A gaming device and a method for operating the gaming device including several groups displayed by a display device and at least one component associated with each group. Several selections are displayed by the display device having multiple components of the groups associated with the selections. A player completes a group and receives a prize for that group when the player picks selections and generates each component associated with a group.

Abstract: A gaming device having a poker game with multiple options for the player to purchase extra cards. In one embodiment a stud five card hand is dealt to the player. The player can keep the five cards or purchase an extra card at a first cost. If the player purchases the first card, the player can thereafter keep the six card hand or purchase a second card at a second higher cost. This cycle is repeated for up to a predetermined number of cards such as five additional cards in one embodiment. When five additional cards are purchased, the game provides any accrued award to the player.

Abstract: A gaming device having a plurality of goals, at least one destination goal, a player goal indicator, an award associated with the destination goal which is provided to the player if the player goal indicator reaches the destination goal, a setback condition associated with one of the goals, wherein when the player goal indicator moves to the goal having the associated setback condition, the player goal indicator is relocated to one of the goals further from the destination goal based on the setback condition, an advance condition associated with one of the goals, wherein when the player goal indicator moves to the goal having the advance condition, the player goal indicator is relocated to one of the goals closer to the destination goal based on the advance condition, and a plurality of offers associated with the goals, wherein the player is enabled to accept or reject the offer associated with goal of the player goal indicator.