# US 9,437,074 B2 · Gaming device and method having purchasable enhanced paytables > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,074 B2 - Document ID: US9437074B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/645,080 - Filed: 2015-03-11 - Published: 2015-07-02 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2006-11-08 - Assignees: Igt - Applicants: Igt - Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437074B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes} - G07F 17/3209: {Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen} - G07F 17/3211: {Display means} - G07F 17/3225: {Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users} - G07F 17/3241: {Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00)} - G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract An apparatus and method for a game having a paytable selection feature which may be implemented with a primary or base game, a secondary or bonus game, or both. In one embodiment, the gaming device employs an initial paytable and enables a player pay a fee to purchase a different paytable for a plurality of plays of the game. If the player chooses to purchase a different paytable, the gaming device determines a game outcome for a plurality of plays of the game and provides any awards based on the different paytable. If the player does not choose to select a different paytable, the gaming device determines a game outcome for each of those plays and provides any awards based on the initial paytable. In one embodiment, the player has the opportunity to see the different paytable prior to paying the fee to purchase it. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gaming system comprising: at least one display device; at least one input device; and a controller configured to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to: (a) following an actuation of a wager button, randomly determine an outcome of a play of a primary game and display said play of the primary game including the randomly determined outcome; and (b) if a triggering event that triggers a bonus event occurs: (i) enable payment of a fee in exchange for an advantage during play of the bonus event; (ii) if payment of the fee is received, provide the bonus event and employ said advantage for the bonus event; (iii) if payment of the fee is not received, provide the bonus event without employing said advantage for the bonus event; (iv) randomly determine an outcome for the bonus event; and (v) display the determined outcome for the bonus event. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the fee is separate from the wager. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, if payment of the fee is received, not change an average expected payback percentage of the primary game. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein an average expected payback percentage of the bonus event when payment of the fee is received is greater than the average expected payback percentage of the bonus event when payment of the fee is not received. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said advantage includes a different paytable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the triggering event occurs in association with said play of the primary game. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select the advantage from a plurality of different advantages. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to determine the plurality of different advantages based at least in part on a player's status in a player tracking system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, which includes an acceptor configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, and wherein the controller is configured to operate with the acceptor to: (1) place a wager on the play of the primary game responsive to receipt of the actuation of the wager button, the credit balance decreasable by the wager; (2) determine any primary award associated with the play of the primary game, the credit balance increasable by any determined primary award; (3) determine any bonus award based on the determined outcome for the bonus event, the credit balance increasable by any determined bonus award; and (4) initiate a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to receipt of an actuation of a cashout button. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: (a) following an actuation of a wager button, randomly determining, via a controller, an outcome of a play of a primary game and displaying, on at least one display device, said play of the primary game including the randomly determined outcome; and (b) if a triggering event that triggers a bonus event occurs: (i) enabling payment of a fee in exchange for an advantage during play of the bonus event; (ii) if payment of the fee is received, providing the bonus event and employ said advantage for the bonus event; (iii) if payment of the fee is not received, providing the bonus event without employing said advantage for the bonus event; (iv) randomly determining, via the controller, an outcome for the bonus event; and (v) displaying, on the at least one display device, the determined outcome for the bonus event. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the fee is separate from the wager. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, which includes, if payment of the fee is received, not changing, via the controller, an average expected payback percentage of the primary game. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein an average expected payback percentage of the bonus event when payment of the fee is received is greater than the average expected payback percentage of the bonus event when payment of the fee is not received. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein said advantage includes a different paytable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the triggering event occurs in association with said play of the primary game. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, which includes selecting, via the controller, the advantage from a plurality of different advantages. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, which includes determining, via the controller, the plurality of different advantages based at least in part on a player's status in a player tracking system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, which includes: (1) receiving, via an acceptor, a physical item associated with a monetary value; (2) placing, by the controller, a wager on the play of the primary game responsive to receipt of the actuation of the wager button, the credit balance decreasable by the wager; (3) determining, by the controller, any primary award associated with the play of the primary game, the credit balance increasable by any determined primary award; (4) determining, by the controller, any bonus award based on the determined outcome for the bonus event, the credit balance increasable by any determined bonus award; and (5) initiating, by the controller, a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to receipt of an actuation of a cashout button. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, which is provided through a data network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.