Bingo system with downloadable common patterns

A gaming method, comprising:

• receiving a global bingo payout set comprising all payouts of first through Nth Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout;
• receiving at least one theme-specific data set, comprising each Class III payout of a Class III game and at least one Class III game outcome associated with each Class III payout;
• and
• providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, wherein the providing step includes the following:
• mapping a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game with an associated payout of the global bingo payout set;
• randomly selecting a Class III game outcome for the associated payout;
• and
• displaying the Class III game outcome.

A gaming machine, comprising:

• a network interface;
• a storage device for storing the following data received via the network interface:
• a global bingo payout set comprising all payouts of first through Nth Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout;
• and
• at least one theme-specific data set, comprising each Class III payout of a Class III game and at least one Class III game outcome associated with each Class III payout;
• and
• means for providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, wherein the providing means comprises means for performing the following steps:
• mapping a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game with an associated payout of the global bingo payout set;
• randomly selecting a Class III game outcome for the associated payout;
• and
• displaying the Class III game outcome.

A gaming method, comprising:

• receiving a global bingo payout set comprising all payouts of first through Nth Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout;
• receiving a theme-specific data set comprising each Class III payout of one of the first through Nth Class III games, a corresponding bingo pattern and a maximum number of balls that may be drawn for the corresponding bingo pattern;
• determining non-theme bingo patterns of the global bingo payout set that are not members of the theme-specific data set;
• and
• setting a maximum number of balls that may be drawn for each of the non-theme bingo patterns to be a number of spots of the non-theme bingo pattern.

A gaming machine, comprising:

• a network interface configured for receiving (a) a global bingo payout set comprising all payouts of first through Nth Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout and (b) a theme-specific data set comprising each Class III payout of one of the first through Nth Class III games, a corresponding bingo pattern and a maximum number of balls that may be drawn for the corresponding bingo pattern;
• and
• a logic device configured to perform these steps:
• determining non-theme bingo patterns of the global bingo payout set that are not members of the theme-specific data set;
• and
• setting a maximum number of balls that may be drawn for each of the non-theme bingo patterns to be a number of spots of the non-theme bingo pattern.

A method for providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, the method comprising:

• determining that a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game was achieved in no more than a predetermined maximum number of bingo balls drawn, the predetermined maximum number of bingo balls drawn being specific to the bingo pattern;
• mapping the bingo pattern to an associated payout amount;
• randomly selecting a Class III game outcome corresponding to the associated payout amount;
• and
• displaying graphics corresponding with the Class III game outcome.