Class of feature event games suitable for linking to multiple gaming machines

摘要

A gaming method, apparatus and system for playing a game of chance is disclosed in which a plurality of gaming machines may be linked together for mutually competitive play. According to one embodiment, two or more gaming machines are linked to a centrally located display exhibiting a game board comprising one or more groups of earmarkable cells in one or more groups. Players on the gaming machines wager and attempt to achieve winning outcomes which earmark cells in the group with designators of their respective gaming machines. When a predetermined number or configuration of cells of a group are earmarked, an award may be distributed to those gaming machines having earmarked cells according to the number of designators within that group associated with each gaming machine. The game of chance may be configured for play on an individual gaming machine.

主权项

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
(a) for each of a plurality of gaming devices:
(1) causing a gaming device processor to establish a credit balance for a player of said gaming device based on a monetary value associated with a physical item after the physical item is received by an acceptor supported by a housing of the gaming device;(2) causing the gaming device processor to place a wager for a primary game after an actuation of a wager button of said gaming device is received, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager; and(3) causing the gaming device processor to initiate a payout associated with the credit balance after an actuation of a cashout button of said gaming device is received; (b) causing at least one server processor to qualify a first gaming device to participate in a feature event; (c) after qualifying the first gaming device to participate in the feature event, causing the at least one server processor to qualify at least one additional gaming device to participate in the feature event; (d) causing the at least one server processor to increase a value of an award upon each qualification of one of the gaming devices for participation in the feature event; (e) causing the at least one server processor to cause a display of the feature event; (f) causing the at least one server processor to determine an outcome for the feature event; (g) causing the at least one server processor to cause a display of the determined outcome for the feature event; and (h) providing at least part of the award to each gaming device qualified to participate in the feature event based on the determined outcome of the feature event, the credit balance of each gaming device qualified to participate in the feature event being increasable by said provided at least part of the award.