Abstract: The invention includes a system and method for a gaming device to determine when to offer a player an opportunity to play using a “jackpot only” pay table. The player may choose to accept the gaming device's offer to switch from using a conventional pay table to using a pay table that only pays top payout amounts. Play with a jackpot only pay table may only require a small wager amount as compared to play with a conventional pay table. Play with a jackpot only pay table may be automated to generate outcomes quickly to allow a player to relatively inexpensively avoid spending time playing a gaming device perceived to be in a “cold period.

Abstract: Gaming apparatus and methods of conducting a wagering game of chance. A gaming machine is disclosed which is configured for mutually concurrent play of a plurality of games of chance on a single display screen. A method of conducting a wagering activity includes providing a player with a plurality of differing games of chance, at least some of which are mutually concurrently playable on a single screen display of a gaming device and enabling mutually concurrent play of the plurality of differing games of chance on the single screen display. Various other gaming machine configurations and methods of play related to multiple differing games of chance on a single display screen are also disclosed herein. Networked gaming machines are also disclosed.

Abstract: A gaming device which includes a variety of methods to allow the player to select patterns of wildcard symbols, from a plurality of wildcard symbol patterns, and use those patterns during subsequent games. One embodiment allows the player to select a pattern of wildcard symbols and use the selected pattern during a free spin bonus game.

Abstract: A primary and secondary game for a wagering gaming machine. In one embodiment, the number of lines wagered or a slot machine makes the player eligible for a bonus game, and a wager made per payline effects how many moves or positions on a meter the player advances upon achieving the bonus triggering symbol or combination of symbols. When the player advances the meter to the end, the gaming device displays a payout event. The payout event can be any type of bonus gaming event that potentially provides an award to the player.

Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards, wherein at least one gaming machine may be provided a plurality of bonus awards.

Abstract: A gaming device provides a free spins game wherein a plurality of modifiers are each associated with one of a plurality of paylines. During the free spins game, each modifier modifies awards won on the particular payline with which it is associated. In one embodiment, the payline multipliers increase in each of the free spins depending on whether a given payline scores a win or not in the free spin.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a method is provided that includes the steps of (1) providing an auxiliary unit adapted to allow a gaming machine to be retrofitted to provide communications services; and (2) retrofitting a non-communications-enabled gaming machine with the auxiliary unit so that the non-communications enabled gaming machine is adapted to provide communications services based on game play at the non-communications-enabled gaming machine. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators.

Abstract: A video poker gaming device, a method of operating a gaming device and a method of playing a poker game including a plurality of cards displayed to a player where the cards are drawn from a deck of fifty-two cards including at least one modifier card. The gaming device deals a first draw of the cards to form a player's hand. Any multiplier cards in the player's hand are replaced by a non-multiplier card. The gaming device enables the player to hold any of the cards in the hand and then determines if any winning card combinations are indicated by the non-multiplier cards in the hand. An award associated with any indicated winning card combinations is provided to the player. The award is multiplied by the multipliers associated with any multiplier cards in the player's hand.

Abstract: A linked gaming device system in which a plurality of gaming devices are linked by a common bonus event is provided. In one embodiment, the linked gaming device system includes a shared symbol generation display positioned adjacent to each of a plurality of associated gaming devices and having a plurality of sections and values displayed at each section. Upon a triggering of the bonus event, any player eligible to participate in the bonus may achieve an outcome generated from the bonus event including the shared display. When the shared display is activated, it simultaneously generates an individual outcome associated with each gaming device. The outcomes are spatially related to one another so that a random generation of an outcome associated with one gaming device automatically generates random outcomes associated with each gaming device. However, each gaming device receives the outcome only if it has participated in the random generation.

Abstract: A gaming system including a central server operable to communicate a plurality of different commands to a plurality of gaming devices to provide non-tournament game play and provide an elimination tournament. The gaming system contributes an average expected payout value of tournament games that were determined to be subsequently played by tournament players but were then not played because the players were eliminated before the end of the tournament to a tournament award. The tournament award is provided to a winner of the tournament.

Abstract: A method for gaming terminals, gaming kiosks and lottery terminals to ensure that the code-signing verification process of downloaded game software can be trusted. Drivers independently developed from the operating system supplier are embedded within the operating system kernel to verify that the micro-coded hardware components, the BIOS (808), the operating system components and the downloaded game software can be trusted.

Abstract: The invention includes a system and method for conducting a focus group via networked gaming devices. A slot server or a third party server in communication with gaming devices provides access to players operating the gaming devices. A topic for the focus group's discussion is received from a marketer via a marketer terminal in communication with the slot server. The system identifies players currently operating gaming devices who also are suitable potential participants in the focus group based on a focus group pool definition received from the marketer. Those players that accept an invitation to participate, become participants. The topic is communicated to the participants and the participants comments are relayed back to a moderator who controls the focus group discussion via a moderator terminal (and a graphical user interface) also in communication with the slot server.

Abstract: A wagering method is provided that allows players or gaming establishments to specify conditions which when satisfied, reconfigure the gaming device to change game play from a first game to a second game. The condition may depend upon the value of a parameter—generally related to game play—to determine if the condition is valid and triggers the reconfiguration. The second game may be selected from a game on the same gaming device, from a game on a different gaming device, or a game played by a specific player.

Abstract: A gaming system and method which forms, tracks and maintains one or more groups or teams. The gaming system and method also maintains at least one team progressive award. At any designated point in time, each group or team includes one or more players, wherein as a player plays one or more games at one or more gaming devices, the player accumulates or builds up equity in their current team or group. Upon a determination to provide a team progressive award to a player of a designated team, each eligible player actively associated with the designated team (i.e., each player actively belonging to the team) is provided a portion of the team progressive award. Each player's provided portion of the team progressive award is based on that player's relative accumulated equity in the designated team compared to each other eligible player's accumulated equity in the designated team.

Abstract: A gaming system and method which forms, tracks and maintains one or more groups or teams. The gaming system and method also maintains at least one team progressive award. At any designated point in time, each group or team includes one or more players, wherein as a player plays one or more games at one or more gaming devices, the player accumulates or builds up equity in their current team or group. Upon a determination to provide a team progressive award to a player of a designated team, each eligible player actively associated with the designated team (i.e., each player actively belonging to the team) is provided a portion of the team progressive award. Each player's provided portion of the team progressive award is based on that player's relative accumulated equity in the designated team compared to each other eligible player's accumulated equity in the designated team.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the gaming system and method disclosed herein employs a symbol accumulation sequence and a symbol evaluation sequence. The symbol accumulation sequence includes an accumulation of a designated quantity of symbols in association with a persistence game. The symbol accumulation sequence also includes the maintenance of a persistence game arrangement that displays a designated quantity of currently accumulated symbols (which in certain instances, includes some, but not all of the total number of symbols accumulated). In one embodiment, the symbol evaluation sequence includes the gaming system determining and providing an award based on the accumulated symbols of the persistence game. In another embodiment, the symbol evaluation sequence includes the gaming system determining and providing an award based on at least one of the accumulated symbols of the persistence game and at least one symbol generated for a current play of a wagering game.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing an award based on a multiplicity of game outcomes. In one implementation the invention provides a method for providing a game. The method includes placing a bet by a player, playing of a game to produce a game outcome, evaluating a primary game outcome, paying a direct award if the primary outcome merits it, advancing a bonus accumulator if the primary outcome merits it, and if the bonus accumulator has advanced sufficiently, paying a bonus award to the player and clearing the bonus accumulator.

Abstract: A gaming system and method which provides a player with a higher average expected payback for making a gaming system wager on a gaming system wagering event in addition to making a primary game wager on a primary game. If the player places the gaming system wager on the gaming system wagering event, the player obtains the chance to win a gaming system award in addition to the player's chance of winning an award based on the outcome of the primary game, wherein the gaming system award is based, at least in part, on the primary game outcome. By placing a gaming system wager on the gaming system wagering event, the overall average expected payback associated with the play of the game increases, without changing the average expected payback of the primary game.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the gaming device and method disclosed herein provides a player one or more modifiers to apply to different components or characteristics of a game. In one such embodiment, the gaming device enables a player to selectively apply or associate a plurality of modifiers to a single game component or apply the plurality of modifiers across the plurality of game components. For each game component with at least one applied modifier, the gaming device disclosed herein modifies said game component based on each applied modifier. The gaming device generates any awards based on any modified game components and any unmodified game components and provides any generated awards to the player.