Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for presenting multiple bingo game results on a common display. A bingo game player may participate in a number of bingo games and obtain results for each of those games. These bingo game results are combined to amount to a cumulative result, and a common graphic display is produced that is representative of the cumulative result. The common graphic display is then shown to the player on the display device of a particular electronic player station.

Abstract: A method includes receiving one or more primary game inputs at a gaming machine, each primary game input defining a wager for a respective play of a primary game presented through the gaming machine and also initiating the respective play of the primary game. Each qualifying wager in the primary game offered through the gaming machine is applied in a predefined fashion toward an entry fee in one or more gaming machine tournaments. Ultimately, the value of the tournament entry fee account may reach a first level which is predefined as a level required for participation in a tournament. Once this level has been reached, the method includes enabling the affected player to participate in the tournament. Thus the player need not stop play of the wagering game to pay any entry fee which may be required for participation in a tournament game.

Abstract: A gaming machine includes a feature club interface system. This feature club interface system provides an interface through which a player at the gaming machine may access a number of features available through the gaming machine which may or may not be related to wagering games offered through the gaming machine. The feature club interface system may rely on communications with a remote feature club server to initiate or enable various features at the gaming machine.

Abstract: A game server communicates game record groups to a site controller associated with a gaming site, and the site controller stores the game record groups in associated data storage. The site controller selects one of the stored game record groups in response to a game availability request associated with a respective game presentation, and communicates the selected game record group from the site controller to a player station services controller associated with the gaming site. The player station services controller stores that respective game record group in its associated data storage device and communicates data from a respective game record to a player station in response to a game play request from the player station, thereby allowing the player station to present a player with a lottery game result for the game play request.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed in which a gaining machine provides both a base game and a scratch-off-style side game which may be played and wagered upon concurrently or according to some play sequence. The base game may be one type of game displayed on a portion of a primary display of the gaming machine and the side game may be a ticket or number-based type of game, such as a lottery or sweepstakes style game, displayed on a remaining portion of the primary display wherein a player may be able to directly purchase chances to win one or more prizes in the ticket/number-based side game and/or be awarded a selected number of tickets/numbers/win-opportunities based on the amount of the player's wager in the primary game. The potential prizes may be stand-alone as with a prize table or networked as with a prize pool, such as in the case of a lottery or sweepstakes style game.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed in which a gaming machine provides a player-selectable base game and a player-selectable side game, both of which may be played and wagered upon concurrently or according to some play sequence. The selected base game may be one of several themes or types of game displayed on a portion of a primary display of the gaming machine and the selected side game may be one of several themes or types of game displayed on a remaining portion of the primary or an alternate display. The potential prizes may be stand-alone as with a prize table or networked as with a prize pool having fixed or progressive prizes.

Abstract: A gaming system, apparatus, and method are disclosed providing game players an exciting chance to win any of multiple progressive prizes within a free spin bonus round by accumulating different prize segment symbols which are displayed in a meter zone for each possible progressive prize. Various ways are described to add free spins to the bonus round, making it more exciting by giving the player increased chance to fill all the segments associated with a particular progressive prize, thereby winning the prize.

Abstract: A tournament game, gaming machine, gaming system and method are disclosed wherein a player-interactive bonus feature is triggered and displayed simultaneously with a tournament game presentation and a bonus award is paid responsive to a player selecting a displayed bonus target, such as a balloon. The bonus award is paid in addition to any award payable based on the tournament game outcome. The award may be non-credit prizes redeemed in various ways such as printing a coupon at the player machine.

Abstract: A multi-site tournament gaming system and method are disclosed wherein multiple casino operators are engaged to initiate a series of player qualifying events and to hold a multi-session tournament of the qualified players to determine the site winners; and, a final tournament is operated wherein the site winners are provided prizes and compete to be named the ultimate champion.

Abstract: A method includes, for a given play of a wagering game, displaying a visual depiction which varies over a range of visual states. The visual depiction is displayed through a display system of the gaming machine and each visual state is correlated to a respective outcome distribution from a set of different outcome distributions. The method may then include receiving a player input through a player input system of the gaming machine. This player input selects one of the visual states of the visual depiction, so that the outcome distribution correlated to that selected visual state may be applied to randomly identify an outcome for a play of a game at the gaming machine. The method then includes awarding any prize correlated to the identified outcome.

Abstract: A device for providing electronic funds transfer-in and transfer-out transactions in a casino gaming system includes a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, a wagering transaction application stored in the memory and executed on the processor, and an electronic receiver communicatively coupled to the wagering transaction application. The wagering transaction application is configured to, through the electronic receiver, access a identifier from an electronic device, determine whether the identifier accurately represents the account, conduct a wagering transaction on the available funds for wagering, and update the available funds for wagering in the account. The electronic device is configured to represent an account of available funds for wagering. The identifier is based on at least the account and the electronic device.

Abstract: Provided is a variable jackpot meter feature for progressive games (either single or multiple tiered), which may be embodied in a game, a method of conducting or providing the game, or a system or program product. The meter coordinates graphics to the increasing value of the progressive jackpots. At its reset value, the progressive meter may be displayed in its least exciting graphical state indicating low “heat.” As the progressive meter value grows, the associated graphics would increase to indicate the amount has grown. By the time the progressive meter's value has reached or exceeded the progressive's expected value, the graphics may be in their most excited/active/hottest state. This state reinforces to the player that the progressive is a high value and it is a good time to try to win the prize.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and program products are taught which provide a slot machine game that increases the size of the symbol array as a mystery feature. As the player spins the reels, the number of positions available on each reel grows randomly to allow more paylines. Other embodiments may include free spin bonuses, as well as bonus features that further increase the number of positions on each reel, and adjust the probability of reel expansions based on the current array size.

Abstract: A method may include: (i) communicatively associating an electronic game host with an electronic gaming machine (EGM) remote from the electronic game host; (ii) executing a gaming application for conducting a wagering game on the electronic game host; (iii) communicating data from the electronic game host to the EGM to present the wagering game on a display of the EGM; (iv) receiving data at the electronic game host from the EGM to accept a wager associated with the wagering game through input/output controls of the EGM; (v) conducting a randomized selection process to determine a randomized prize associated with the wager; (vi) communicating data from the electronic game host to the EGM to present an indication of the randomized selection process to the display of the EGM; and (vii) metering and storing locally to the electronic game host game play data associated with execution of the wagering game.

Abstract: A method for funding wagering on an electronic gaming machine includes receiving information from a text message, determining an electronic gaming machine designated by the information, determining a funding action designated by the information, executing the funding action, and updating the available funds for wagering on the electronic gaming machine. The funding action is associated with funds available for wagering on the electronic gaming machine. The information includes message content and a destination number.

Abstract: An article of manufacture includes a computer readable medium and computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium. The instructions are readable by a processor. The instructions, when read and executed, cause the processor to present a game of skill including at least one goal associated with a portion of the game, accept a wager for a randomized prize, conduct a randomized selection process to determine the randomized prize, provide interactive control of the game of skill to a user in response to the wager, and determine whether the goals has been successfully accomplished by the user.

Abstract: A gaming system utilizes a game designation generating component, a gaming establishment component, and a set of predefined bingo card representations. Each bingo card representation is stored in electronic format as a data structure or data record defining a predefined pattern of game designations chosen from a pool of available designations. The game designation generating component generates sets of game designations from a pool of available designations. The method employed in the gaming system includes pre-matching the bingo card representations to a given set of game designations to produce a matched card set. This pre-matching occurs prior to the sale, distribution, or assignment of card representations to players in the game.

Abstract: A gaming system, apparatus, and method are disclosed which include identifying a set of initial game designations to produce a game ending winner for a game, one or more additional game designations may be considered, that is, compared against a set of elements shown on a card or display in play in the game. Considering these additional game designations in addition to the set of initial game designations may produce additional matched locations on the card or display and may produce a winning pattern that would not have been produced considering only the initial set of game designations. This use of additional game designations provides additional opportunities for players to obtain a winning result.

Abstract: A modified pick selection bonus game feature is provided including picking hidden selections to accumulate matching symbols and win a prize. The game includes improved features such as a prize bump bonus symbols to increase the value of all available bonus prizes.

Abstract: A novel game is provided that transforms at least a part of the graphic symbol matrix shown on a video-based reel-type gaming machine to change the game operation from multi-symbol reels to single-symbol reels. Methods, apparatus and program products for implementing the game are provided. A preferred game operates in a first display matrix state displaying a symbol matrix. The symbol matrix provides a game play result by displaying two or more reel representations that combine to form the symbol matrix. In response to a trigger event in game play, the game switches to a second display matrix state where it is modified to show single-symbol reel representations with separating elements between at least one pair of adjacent symbols of a respective reel representation. Multiple sets of data structures are provided for operation in each display state.