US 10,504,330 B2 · Gaming apparatuses and methods for enhancing payouts with auxiliary wagers

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods for facilitating gaming payout enhancements through player purchase of a desired number of options to qualify to receive a commensurate quantity of a randomly-generated number of payout award enhancements. A player can purchase some number of payout enhancement options for a gaming event. A number of payout enhancement awards may be randomly granted. A number of the symbol upgrade awards that does not exceed the number of symbol upgrade options purchased are activated for use, and the initial gaming event results are updated with the activated number of the symbol upgrade awards. The gaming event, as modified, is then analyzed for payout results using any symbol upgrades.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A slot game apparatus for enhancing gaming awards in a slot game utilizing symbols in respective symbol positions of a symbol grid to determine payouts, comprising:

a display presenting a plurality of symbol locations forming a symbol array;
a user interface including at least one user input to enable a player to initiate a slot game event presented via the symbol array;
a wager input device structured to identify and validate player assets, and to permit the player to play the slot game event when the player assets are provided;
and
a processor configured to:
facilitate player purchase of zero, one, or a plurality of symbol upgrade options;
present an initial spin result;
randomly award zero, one, or a plurality of symbol upgrade awards;
activate a number of the randomly awarded symbol upgrade awards that does not exceed the number of symbol upgrade options purchased;
replace symbols of the initial spin result with the activated number of the randomly awarded symbol upgrade awards;
and
analyze a final result for payouts using the initial spin result as modified by the replaced symbols.

9 more elements

A game apparatus for enhancing gaming awards in a slot game utilizing symbols in respective symbol positions of a symbol grid to determine payouts, comprising:

a display presenting a plurality of symbol locations forming a symbol array;
a user interface including at least one user input to enable a player to initiate slot game events presented via the symbol array;
a wager input device structured to identify and validate player assets, and to permit the player to play the slot game event when the player assets are provided;
and
a processor configured to:
facilitate purchase by a player of a first number of payout enhancement options;
present an initial result of a gaming event;
randomly provide a second number of payout enhancement awards, each capable of upgrading a respective symbol of the initial result of the gaming event;
if the first number of payout enhancement options purchased by the player is not zero and is greater than or equal to the second number of randomly provided payout enhancement awards, activate all of the second number of payout enhancement awards;
if the first number of payout enhancement options purchased by the player is less than the second number of randomly provided payout enhancement awards, activate the first number of the payout enhancement awards, and
present a final result of the gaming event using the activated payout enhancement awards.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gaming apparatuses and methods for enhancing payouts with auxiliary wagers

Life of this patent

Gaming apparatuses and methods for enhancing payouts with auxiliary wagers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17