Abstract: A gaming machine with a display screen 6 showing separate sets 1, 2, 3 of symbols, the gaming machine being configured to move each set 1, 2, 3 of symbols relative to each other to form a random configuration of the various symbols on the display 6 and pay winnings on the occurrence of predetermined winning configurations of the symbols, wherein the display 6 simultaneously displays all the symbols in at least one of the sets 1, 2 or 3.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using player input codes (e.g., numeric, biometric or physical) to affect the outcomes of electronic gambling devices, such as slot machines. The player inserts money into the slot machine and enters an input, e.g., a lucky number or biometric measurement, into a device attached externally to the slot machine. A central processing unit (“CPU”) within the slot machine receives the input and directs a random number generator to produce a random number. The CPU retrieves a combination algorithm from an algorithm database and then applies the combination algorithm to the player number and the generated random number to form a combined value. The CPU looks up the combined value in a probability table to determine resulting reel positions. The CPU looks up the reel positions in a payout table to determine the amount of money won or lost by the player.

Abstract: The player is dealt an initial hand of five cards, all face up. If four of these first five cards are of the same suit, the player is offered the opportunity to proceed to a second video screen in which the remaining nine cards of that suit are displayed to the player. One of these nine cards is randomly selected and added to the player's initial five card hand. The player is assured of achieving at least a Flush with the possibility of improving his hand to a Straight Flush or a Royal Flush depending on the first four cards and the fifth card selected. After this random selection of the fifth card, the player's hand is evaluated to determine what poker hand ranking the player has achieved and the player is paid an award based on the amount wagered by the player in accordance with a pay table.

Abstract: A slot card issued by a slot club, or a membership card in another incentive award program, that is also capable of being used as phone calling card is provided. Free calling time is credited to the member's card account in response to the playing of the slot machine or utilizing the respective service. After incentive points are awarded, the member may use the membership card as a prepaid phone calling card, whereby the member's account is debited for the cost of the call.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bonus scheme for a gaming device which presents a plurality of indicators to the player. Each indicator may be a success indicator or a failure indicator based on a pre-determined probability. Upon or prior to the selection of the indicator, the processor in the gaming device determines, based on that probability, if the indicator is a success indicator or a failure indicator. When a player selects an indicator, the gaming device displays if the selected indicator is a failure indicator or a success indicator and a value associated with the success indicator, The player selects indicators until the player selects all of the success indicators or the player selects a failure indicator. Accordingly, based on chance and the pre-determined probability, a bonus round may include all success indicators and no failure indicators to increase player excitement and enjoyment.

Abstract: A gaming device which allows individual play, head to head play and tournament play and involves the utilization of at least three chance means, including a plurality of reels, a video display configured as a matrix upon which scores can accumulate and icons located upon the grid itself provided for additional scoring.

Abstract: A gaming machine comprises a spinning reel display showing a plurality of symbols on each of a plurality of rotatable reels. The reels are rotated and stopped to place the symbols of each reel in visual association with a pay line. A winning combination of displayed symbols triggers a payoff. The distribution of payoff values and probabilities results in a high volatility index, so that the distribution is similar to a state-run lottery.

Abstract: A card game that is played on a gaming machine and provides multiple opportunities for players to win. The game consists of several sub-games that are played simultaneously and are linked together by repeatedly playing a solitaire sub-game. The scores from the solitaire sub-game are used to play a keno sub-game, a blackjack sub-game, an odd number sub-game, an even number sub-game, a poker sub-game, a 100 space grid sub-game, and a same number sub-game.

Abstract: A method for operating a rotating reel type slot machine, or a video machine which depicts rotating reels, is described herein which allows a player to save in memory one or more symbols from one or more previous games and use those symbols in a current game to obtain a winning combination. In one embodiment, multiple sets of reels are employed, and saved symbols from a primary sets of reels may be used for any of said multiple sets of reels in subsequent games. In one embodiment, additional coins may be deposited to allow the use of saved symbols with additional reel sets. In another embodiment, a special symbol displayed by a first set of reels causes corresponding reels in second and third sets of reels to stop at the special symbol.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a game system which is capable of allowing player's wish to reflect on appearance of event production squares. A game control device 10 is allowed to function as device for displaying a route including plural squares 24A-24F as well as symbols representing attributes of the squares on a screen of a display device 3, device for determining a value to be obtained by a player based on an instruction of the player via an input device 4, device for moving a player character 22 on the route 23 according to the obtained value, device for controlling an peculiar value corresponding to an attribute of the squares based on a stop position of the character 22, device for controlling appearance of event production squares on the route 23 based on the peculiar value, and device for producing an event relating to the event production square under a condition that the event production square and a stop position of the character 22 establish a predetermined relationship.

Abstract: An improved multiple payline gaming method and apparatus wherein a multiplicity of independently driven symbol carrying elements are arranged in a non-orthogonal and/or non-rectangular array and are combined with a plurality of individually selectable paylines intersecting various combination of the elements so as to give a game player various degrees of latitude in choosing potential outcomes available as a result of each gaming proposition. Means may also be provided for allowing selection of special payout opportunities based upon certain positional relationships between various ones of the elements and their displayed symbols.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an Internet-based competitive speculation forum in which participants can submit predictions of future events, obtain rewards for correct predictions and suffer penalties for incorrect predictions. Each competitive speculation forum is defined by a number of future events, such as sporting contests, elections and election debates, and stock price fluctuations. Participants may submit straight predictions, each based on a single future event, combination predictions, each based on a set of future events, and aggregation predictions, each based on a single future event and automatically resubmitted at fixed intervals.

Abstract: A slot machine includes a housing having a front side with an operation panel disposed thereon, a main display device having a screen disposed on the front side of the housing above the operation panel, and a sub-display device disposed on the operation panel. A main input device accepts manual operation of a player and issues information corresponding to the manual operation of the player. The main input device includes a first input device provided on the operation panel and a second input device provided on the screen of the main display device. A game controller controls a process of a game performed on a screen of the main display device based on the information issued from the main input device.

Abstract: A slot machine is configured to have a main game comprising a multi-reel payline mechanical reel or video reel slot arrangement with at least one payline and a secondary event game comprising a multi-reel, one or more payline mechanical slot arrangement. Whenever the player achieves a combination of symbols on the main game that awards the player with the secondary event game, the number of chances provided to the player to play the secondary event game is based on the number of paylines that the player has played on the main game or by the number of credits wagered on each payline. Alternatively, the number of spins awarded to the player on the secondary event game can be determined by the symbol combinations achieved by the player on the main game. All spins of the three reel secondary event game can be winning spins or, alternatively, the spins on the secondary event reel game can be either winning or losing spins.

Abstract: A gaming device such as a video based slot machine provides a player the ability to modify at least one parameter of the slot machine. The slot machine then modifies other parameters to ensure a desired house advantage. Odds, payout schedules and wager amounts may be customized by a player, and the slot machine automatically determines changes in other parameters which were not customized to maintain a constant house advantage. Software running on the slot machine uses an equation that takes into account pertinent parameters or variables such as size of jackpot, amount wagered taken in at each pull, and probability of hitting the jackpot at each pull. Based on the equation, the software adjusts parameters other than the one(s) specified by the player so that the outcome (the house advantage) remains constant with each pull. A player interface provides an easy to use method of modifying selected parameters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using player input codes (e.g., numeric, biometric or physical) to affect the outcomes of electronic gambling devices, such as slot machines. The player inserts money into the slot machine and enters an input, e.g., a lucky number or biometric measurement, into a device attached externally to the slot machine. A central processing unit ("CPU") within the slot machine receives the input and directs a random number generator to produce a random number. The CPU retrieves a combination algorithm from an algorithm database and then applies the combination algorithm to the player number and the generated random number to form a combined value. The CPU looks up the combined value in a probability table to determine resulting reel positions. The CPU looks up the reel positions in a payout table to determine the amount of money won or lost by the player. If the player has won, the CPU directs a hopper controller to release the appropriate number of coins or tokens into a payout tray.

Abstract: A system and method for differentiating customers according to their worth to the casino. Customer information is accumulated at each affiliated casino through one or more LAN-based management systems, updated to a central patron database (CPDB) that is coupled to each casino LAN through a WAN, and made available to each affiliated casino property as needed. Customer accounts are automatically activated and provided with data from the CPDB when a customer from one casino property first visits an affiliated casino property. Customer accounts are updated with status information based on the customer's worth to the casino. Customer accounts are updated with new activity data whenever a management system associated with the casino receives customer data from input devices, such as card readers, workstations, and dumb terminals, located at various venues throughout the casino. Customers are awarded points, based on their tracked activity at all affiliated casino properties.

Abstract: A method for operating a rotating reel type slot machine, or a video machine which depicts rotating reels, is described herein which allows a player to save in memory one or more symbols from one or more previous games and use those symbols in a current game to obtain a winning combination. The display glass of the slot machine contains an area for displaying the symbols which have been saved.

Abstract: A gaming machine in which a game is controlled using virtual reels arranged to correspond to symbols of actual reels, increases the interest of a player in playing the game. A virtual symbol row arrangement is provided corresponding to a plurality of symbol rows to be displayed on a variable display, and is formed of the symbols that constitute each of the symbol rows. When a predetermined play condition is satisfied, a controller starts the operation of the variable display and samples random number values. In response to the sampled random number values, the controller determines stop symbols in the virtual symbol row arrangement for every symbol row. The controller controls the variable display to produce an image of the stop symbols when the variable display is stopped, and performs win determinations on a selected combination of the stop symbols. The virtual symbol row arrangement consists of at least two tables, with a plurality of virtual symbol rows disposed as one table.

Abstract: The present invention relates to security system for a gaming apparatus and method for its operation. It further relates to a gaming apparatus incorporating an electronic security system. The gaming apparatus includes one or more physical displays that rotate about at least one axis. These displays are physically associated with a mechanism that controls the odds of the reel stopping at any particular reel position in such a manner that the probability of stopping at least one position differs from the probability of stopping at least one other position. The security system provides a safeguard against unauthorized alteration of the machine parameter that could effect its outcome. The present invention is particularly appropriate for application in slot machines.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically switching between any of a plurality of theoretical expectations on a gaming or amusement device of the kind where the outcome is determined by a combination of random or pseudo-random events yielding an associated score from a table of values. Any one of a plurality of predetermined random "trigger" events will cause the amusement or gaming device to automatically vary the likelihood of certain random events, without altering the associated score for any particular outcome, for a minimum "duration" period. By altering the likelihood of any particular outcome, the device will operate at a different theoretical expectation.

Abstract: An electronic gaming device and method is provided in which redefined events result in positioning symbols on a playing field which persist in their location and effect through two or more sequential rounds of a game. Preferably, the symbols can affect the amount of a pay out, although preferably they do not affect whether or not a game has a winning result. Persistent symbols may be removed in response to various events, such as occurrence of a delete symbol, passage of time or playing of a predetermined number of rounds.

Abstract: Gaming devices comprising a standard gaming unit, e.g., three reels, and a discernible additional payout indicator, e.g., a rotatable wheel. A preferred bonus payout indicator is clearly visible by the player and is actuatable when the reels of the slot machine stop on certain predetermined indicia. A preferred embodiment further comprises a payout multiplier which displays a plurality of values by which a payout may be multiplied.

Abstract: A method of implementing desired odds for a reel-type slot machine is disclosed. All of the possible reel stop combinations are assigned to unique terminal nodes in one or more fractional branching trees stored in a ROM. The tree(s) comprises a main tier, a plurality of lower tiers and a plurality of terminal nodes. Each of the tiers has a number of entries which lead either to a lower tier or to a terminal node. A random number generator is used to select entries on each tier until a terminal node is selected. The reel stop combination or a particular symbol assigned to the terminal node is then displayed on the pay line and an award is paid based on a pay table.

Abstract: In a slot machine, a token is inserted to play a game. The slot machine pays tokens when the game results in a win, which comprises a normal win, or a big win for which more tokens are paid than for the normal win. The game comprises a normal game, or a bonus game whose winning probability is higher than the normal game. The bonus game is triggered when a big win is acquired. The slot machine generates a play signal representing a play of the game and a big win signal representing a big win. A display apparatus is associated with the slot machine, and has 16 DIP switches which are set with reference to the slot machine, and signal information regarding the slot machine. In the display apparatus, a normal game counter counts the times of having played the normal game between the completion of playing the bonus game and the occurrence of a big win, whereas a big win counter counts the number of times of a big win.

Abstract: A gaming machine uses a time-based method for generating game results having nonuniform probability. The gaming machine employs an addressable memory in cooperation with a counter and a clock. The clock generates a very fast series of pulses, and includes a digital-to-analog converter. The counter holds a number representing one of the possible reel stop positions and counts the clock's pulses, so that with each pulse, the value of the counter advances by one. To vary the odds that a particular reel stop position will be selected, the clock's pulses do not come at even intervals. Rather, the clock is responsive to a digital input signal to control how long it will allow a particular number to remain in the counter before the next clock pulse. The binary numbers which are used to control the clock are stored in memory. The memory accepts as input the current value of the counter. Thus, when the counter is incremented, the memory provides the binary number associated with the new counter value.