Abstract: An instant messaging user may use a buddy list that includes a user-selected list of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) to identify another instant messaging user with whom instant messages are to be exchanged. An instant messaging user also may use a buddy list for other purposes, such as to initiate playing of an on-line game or to invite participants to play an on-line game. The buddy list may be used as an on-line game leaderboard that presents a list of players of the on-line game in ranked order.

Abstract: A poker-style game and method in which a player who is one card away from achieving a royal flush, following receipt of 0-5 replacement cards, is provided the option to receive one or more supplemental cards for no additional wager. The supplemental cards are drawn from one or more decks of cards to which the discarded cards from the first hand may have been returned. In one embodiment, a player receives a payout with a royal flush. In another embodiment, a player receives a payout if the one or more supplemental cards does not yield a royal flush, but the player's final hand is otherwise a winning hand. In another embodiment, the player may receive a payout for having four to a royal flush in the third hand, even if the player did not otherwise achieve a winning hand.

Abstract: Foremost provided is a prize acquisition game apparatus capable of alleviating the burden of the difficulty adjustment operation, and secondly provided is an operating system of a prize acquisition game apparatus capable of promoting the efficiency in operating a prize acquisition game apparatus. In each of the prize acquisition game apparatuses, provided is a detection unit for detecting the respective types of arm and claw mounted on a catching unit, wherein an information processing terminal transmits an externally input search criterion to a server, and the server creates a search database associating the type of prize and the respective types of arm and claw based on the respective types of prize, arm and claw transmitted from each of the prize acquisition game apparatuses, and extracts from the search database the respective types of arm and claw according to the search criterion transmitted from the information processing terminal and transmits this to the information processing terminal.

Abstract: A method, comprising displaying an image to a first player, displaying a portion of the image to a second player wherein the portion of the image displayed to the second player is less than all of the image and wherein the portion of the image displayed to the second player is determined by an action of the first player, allowing the second player to submit a word, and determining whether the word submitted by the second player is related to the image. The present invention also includes apparatuses and systems.

Abstract: A fantasy server system operates a fantasy league including at least one fantasy player whereby one or more fantasy client devices participate in the fantasy league. In operation, the fantasy server system manages fantasy player information of a fantasy player and sponsorship information of the fantasy player on at least one of an individual basis and a team basis. The fantasy server system additionally associates a portion or an entirety of the sponsorship information of the fantasy player to a portion or an entirety of fantasy player information of the fantasy player when presenting both types of information to fantasy client device(s). The association can be feed formatted content and/or a subfeed formatted content.

Abstract: To give a player a feeling of reality in a game in accordance with an amount of coins bet. A gaming machine which provides a prescribed game using a plurality of player terminals, on which a game situation of each individual player is displayed, and a common display, on which a game situation of all players is displayed, includes: a game controller 901 which carries out a control for expediting a game; a terminal controller 304A; and an effect content memory 902 which stores effect contents which change contents of a dealer image displayed on the common display in accordance with an amount of coins bet on the player terminal, wherein the game controller 901 changes display contents of the dealer image when one or more coins bet in accordance with the amount of the coin bet.

Abstract: A gaming machine having a display device for variably displaying and stopping symbols during a game; a memory storing a lottery table having interrelated random number ranges, threshold target values (an accumulatively counted number of times the game has been played) and payouts; and a processor (a) to extract a random number, (b) to determine from the lottery table the random number range to which the random number belongs, (c) to determine the threshold target value corresponding to the determined random number range, (d) to accumulatively count a total number of times the game has been played while games are continuously conducted, (e) to determine whether or not the total number of game plays equals the determined threshold target value, and (f) to determine from the lottery table and give the related payout when the total number of game plays equals with the determined threshold target value.

Abstract: A gaming system includes at least one progressive server and a plurality of gaming machines configured to present wagering games to players for play. The at least one progressive server is configured to generate a plurality of progressive jackpots funded at least partially from funds transactions at the gaming machines. Each gaming machine is configured to present at least a first game play option permitting a player to play for a first of the progressive jackpots and a second game play option permitting a player to play for a second of the progressive jackpots, the player permitted to select from the game play options to play for the opportunity to win the progressive jackpot associated therewith. In one embodiment, the system has a tiered configuration where progressive servers are “layered” and associated with different groups or sets of gaming machines.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a slot machine game with one or more reels and a rotator has stepper motors to randomly drive the stepper motors in accord with a programmed central processing unit. At least one of the stepper motors is relocated from the belly box to the top box to provide a drive for a rotator in the top box. The stepper motor in the top box is reoriented so that its shaft is normal to a front glass over the top box. A pointer can be placed on the end of the shaft to randomly rotate.

Abstract: A illumination device comprises a transparent member in which a lenticular lens of a cylindrical shape is disposed in a longitudinal direction; and light emitting members disposed in a vertical direction at prescribed intervals inside the transparent member; in which a visual illusion of existence of light emitting rings, respectively arrayed in a horizontal direction and respectively disposed in a vertical direction inside the transparent member, is created by light emitted from the various light emitting members.

Abstract: A system of linked gaming machines is disclosed herein. Upon a certain triggering event occurring, eligible gaming machines simultaneously receive a signal for initiating a free game bonus round. The players that have been playing the gaming machines will then play a certain number of free games in a competition with other players involved in the same bonus round. The player awarded the most credits or points from the play of the free games is awarded a special jackpot. Other jackpot games (e.g., split jackpot) are also envisioned. In another embodiment, a jackpot award or any award to the players may be granted based on the outcomes of the free games. In one embodiment, the base awards to the player(s) for the bonus round are multiplied by a multiplier that may be based on the number of players, based on the players' rankings, based on other outcomes of the bonus round, or a fixed or random multiplier.