Linear scatter jackpot method and system
AssigneeSHFL Entertainment (Australasia) Pty Limited
InventorsTerry O'Halloran, Andrew Masen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for awarding a jackpot, and a corresponding gaming machine and system. The jackpot is awarded based upon a presence of scatter symbols appearing in a game outcome in a predefined manner. The jackpot is preferably linked across multiple machines. In a preferred form, scatter symbols on one reel may be in an active or inactive state, the jackpot is awarded only if they are in the active state, and the probability of them being in an active state is dependent upon the size of the player's wager, so as to provide linear returns to players.
Claims20
A method of providing a jackpot in a gaming machine used to play a game, the method comprising using a processor to execute the steps of:
- determining a player's wager;
- playing the game so that reels of the gaming machine assume a specific configuration showing symbols across the reels used in the game, wherein one or more of the symbols is displayed as a variable state scatter symbol having either an active state or an inactive state when revealed on its position on the reels, the active state or the inactive state being determined according to a probability that is variable depending on the player's wager, wherein variable state scatter symbols displayed as having an inactive state are not considered for jackpot game play;
- and
- determining if scatter symbols displayed as having an active state appear across the reels used in the game in a predefined manner and, if so, then paying the jackpot.
A method of awarding a jackpot in a reels gaming machine, comprising using a processor to execute the steps of:
- generating a game outcome display for one or more reels used in the game, the game outcome display displaying scatter symbols on the one or more reels, the displayed scatter symbols being randomly selected from a set of symbols that are to be displayed at active positions and inactive positions of the one or more reels;
- and
- determining the jackpot being won by comparing scatter symbols at only active positions of the one or more reels in the game outcome display with a predetermined combination, wherein the probability that a position of the one or more reels is selected as an active position on the one or more reels in the game outcome display is dependent upon a size of the player's wager relative to a maximum possible wager for the reels gaming machine.
A gaming machine having multiple reels, the gaming machine including a processor, a player wager selection element, and a display having at least one payline, wherein the processor is programmed to play a game in accordance with software, the game including:
- receiving a player's wager from the player wager selection element;
- playing the game so that the multiple reels used in the game are displayed on the display in a specific configuration showing symbols across the multiple reels, wherein one or more of the symbols is a variable state scatter symbol being displayed as having either an active state or an inactive state when revealed at its corresponding location on the multiple reels, wherein the variable state scatter symbol in its active state is considered to be a scatter symbol for jackpot determining purposes, and wherein the variable state scatter symbol in its inactive state is not considered to be a scatter symbol for jackpot determining purposes, wherein a probability of a variable state scatter symbol having an active state is dependent upon a size of the player's wager;
- and
- determining if the symbols considered to be scatter symbols for jackpot determining purposes appear across the multiple reels in a predefined manner and, if so, then paying a jackpot.
A gaming machine having multiple reels used in a game, the gaming machine including a processor, a player wager selection element and a display, the processor programmed to play a game in accordance with software stored thereon, wherein the processor is programmed to indicate one or more reels used in the game to randomly display symbols having a fixed active state, and at least one reel to randomly display symbols having either an active state or inactive state according to a variable state probability, wherein a jackpot for the game is won by a predetermined combination of symbols from all reels that are displayed in a game outcome display to have an active state, wherein the variable state probability for having an active state on the game outcome display is dependent upon a size of a player's wager relative to a maximum possible wager for the gaming machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.