Abstract: A method and system are provided for providing a bonus round responsive to a bonus trigger in a wagering game. The method includes providing at least one bonus spin. The method includes awarding a prize associated with a bonus spin result. The method includes, responsive to a termination trigger occurring, awarding a termination bonus and terminating the bonus round.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating the play of a wagering game with a bonus game. Examples include keeping track of a number, which is increased based on wagers and optionally decreased based on other criteria providing a measure dependent on a player's average wager during play sessions. Examples provide a regular or base wagering game, provide a bonus play trigger, and when triggered, provide a bonus round with bonus play prize. Examples further provide a bonus play prize enhancement based on the value of the number maintained by the invention.

Abstract: In a gaming machine having virtual reels, conventional instant wins are awarded as well as virtual playing cards. In one embodiment, the cards are dealt only if a special symbol is displayed on the stopped reels. In another embodiment, cards are dealt only during a bonus round. Dealt playing cards are accumulated until the player has a full hand of cards. A different bonus pot is accumulated for various types of poker hands achievable. The pots may be progressively increased based on a percentage of wagers made in a network of gaming machines. After the player is dealt the full set of cards, the best poker hand is determined, and the associated pot is awarded to the player. The pot is then set at a starting value. The bonus game is then terminated. The player is motivated to continue playing to complete a hand and win a large pot.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for conducting a wagering game. A spin result is determined, the spin result including a set of symbols positioned within a set of symbol positions. The symbol positions may be arranged in rows and columns or another arrangement. The spin results and associated symbol positions may be displayed on a viewable display area. A prize associated with the spin result may be awarded. The wagering game may include a first trigger condition, a second trigger condition and an end condition. If the spin result meets the first trigger condition, additional symbol positions may be added. If the spin result meets the second trigger condition, symbol positions may be removed. If the spin result meets the end condition, the wagering game ends. If the spin result does not meet the end condition, the wagering game continues by determining a next spin result.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating play of a wagering game by a player. The system may include a primary display configured to display an arrangement of a set of symbols indicating an outcome and a winning pay line in the wagering game to the player. The system may include a secondary display, separate from the primary display, the secondary display configured to display a representation of the winning pay line. The system may include a processor in communication with the primary display and the secondary display. The processor may be configured to determine the arrangement of the set of symbols indicating the outcome, determine the winning pay line in the arrangement of the set of symbols, causing the primary display to display the arrangement of the set of symbols and the winning pay line, and causing the secondary display to display the representation of the winning pay line.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming method and machine with bonus round that allow a player select the risk level of the bonus play. Thus the player has control over risk during their bonus round. As the player becomes more familiar with the game, they can select a higher risk for the bonus round and be rewarded accordingly. The bonus may include a fixed or variable number of additional turns. The gaming method and machine may include a progressive counter incremented in dependence upon at least one of regular play and bonus play. The gaming method and machine may allow a player to win an additional bonus play during the bonus play.

Abstract: A base game on a gaming machine may be a conventional 5×3 video reel-type game, where awards are granted for winning symbol combinations in the base game. If a bonus trigger has occurred, a special card deck symbol is added to at least one reel, and the player is granted free bonus spins of the virtual reels in a bonus round. The player accumulates bonus win awards during the free bonus spins based on at least winning combinations of symbols. If the deck symbol is displayed after a spin, the player is randomly dealt a playing card. Dealt playing cards are accumulated until the player has accumulated seven cards. A multiplier is associated with the value of the best five-card hand, and the accumulated bonus win awards are multiplied by the multiplier to identify a final amount to be awarded to the player. The bonus game is then terminated.

Abstract: A bonus game is carried out by a gaming machine. In a first embodiment, upon the player achieving a trigger event, the player must correctly guess a randomly generated safe combination of, for example, five digits using, for example, five single-digit numbers. The 5-digit safe combination is randomly generated by the gaming machine before each bonus game. The player is given a predetermine number of tries to correctly guess the 5-digit combination, with the award being lower for each successive guess. After each guess, the correct numbers are held, and the incorrect numbers are extinguished and no longer available. In a variation, there is only a single award for correctly guessing the code, but the player only gets one guess per trigger event. After a guess, the correctly guessed digits are held over for the next time the player gets a trigger event. Other variations are described.

Abstract: A video slot machine has an array of individual symbol reels, such as a grid of 4×5 reels. The symbols include conventional symbols and special symbols. In the examples, the special symbols are wild symbols. Each wild symbol is associated with a particular direction, such as a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, or both. After an initial spin, an award for symbol combinations is paid out. If a wild symbol appears in the array, all reels along the designated direction are respun to give the player another chance at winning Awards are paid again for new winning symbol combinations. If new wild symbols appear, another respin is performed along the direction(s) designated by the new wild symbols. The designated direction associated with a wild symbol may change for each game.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a base game played on a gaming machine may be a conventional 5×4 video reel-type game, where awards are granted for winning symbol combinations in the base game. If a bonus trigger has occurred, a number of free games are awarded. The symbols on the reel strips are then changed to at least include directional wild symbols, where wild symbols are associated with one of a variety of directions such as up, down, left-down-diagonally, right, etc. Obtaining such a directional wild symbol during a free game causes all symbols along that direction to be converted to a wild symbol. Overlapping wild symbols also act as award multipliers. Awards are then granted based on the symbol combinations and multipliers.

Abstract: A base game on a gaming machine may be a conventional 5×3 video reel-type game, where awards are granted for winning symbol combinations in the base game. If a bonus trigger has occurred, a special card deck symbol is added to at least one reel, and the player is granted free bonus spins of the virtual reels in a bonus round. The player accumulates bonus win awards during the free bonus spins based on at least winning combinations of symbols. If the deck symbol is displayed after a spin, the player is randomly dealt a playing card. Dealt playing cards are accumulated until the player has accumulated seven cards. A multiplier is associated with the value of the best five-card hand, and the accumulated bonus win awards are multiplied by the multiplier to identify a final amount to be awarded to the player. The bonus game is then terminated.

Abstract: A base game may be a conventional video reel-type game. During play of the base game, at least a first progressive jackpot is accumulated by a first percentage of the wagers. A community Bingo game is concurrently initiated for all eligible players (players betting above the minimum bet) when an eligible player achieves a special symbol combination in the base game. The number of virtual Bingo cards dealt to each eligible player is based on the player's average bet. A central controller then random selects Bingo numbers, one at a time, and the first player to fill in a Bingo card wins the bonus game and an award. Only the player that triggered the bonus game is eligible for the first progressive jackpot. At various levels of the game, the players are motivated to bet above the minimum bet to be eligible for the bonus game and increase the player's chances of winning the bonus game.

Abstract: A method of facilitating the operation of a wagering game and a system for operating the same. A winning game outcome may be randomly determined. The display of the winning game outcome to a player may be accomplished by first displaying a fictitious loss, and then visually transforming the display of the fictitious loss into a display representing the winning game outcome.

Abstract: A secondary game played on a gaming machine displays a plurality of objects, each object representing a hidden award. Upon a triggering event occurring, the player then touches one of the objects via a touch screen, and the award is granted to the player. The selected object is then disabled until the game is reset. The awards that remain available to be selected in the secondary game are displayed to the player separate from the objects. The secondary game is continuous and is not reset upon a player cashing out. The continuous secondary game motivates players to keep playing until the top prize is awarded and the game is reset. The trigger event that allows the player's to select an object is based on the player's accumulated wager amount and is preferably independent of any outcome of the main game or any outcome of a bonus game.

Abstract: A wireless wagering system includes a wireless game control and a video wagering terminal. The wireless game control can include a button configured to receive game-play input from a game player, a battery configured to supply power to the wireless game control, and a first transceiver configured to transmit a master data packet from the wireless game control to a video wagering terminal, wherein the master data packet has a payload which includes information related to a voltage and a charging status of the battery.

Abstract: This invention relates to reprogramming of in-circuit programmable chips installed in video lottery terminals (VLTs) by downloading electronic information (software) to such chips. Encrypted electronic information is downloaded from a host device to a gaming terminal through a communications link. The terminal comprises a decryption component configured for decrypting the encrypted electronic information using at least two security keys, at least one said key being resident in the terminal and at least another said key being delivered to the terminal at the time of the downloading (the downloading facilitating a replacement of existing software in terminal with corresponding decrypted software obtained from decrypting the encrypted information). The encrypted information transmitted to the terminal comprises at least one next version key for later use by the decryption component in decrypting a next version of encrypted electronic information.