Gaming apparatus with a consecutive wins multiplier

Abstract

A casino gaming apparatus may include a display unit capable of generating video images, a value input device, and a controller operatively coupled to the display unit. The controller may comprise a processor and a memory and may be programmed to allow a person to make a wager, to cause a video image to be generated on the display unit, to determine if a player has won a given number of consecutive winnings games, and to determine a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning the given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, the bonus value payout being based on a normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning the subsequent game without previously winning the given number of consecutive winning games.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display unit that is capable of generating video images;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slot, video keno and video bingo,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video poker,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slot,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said game comprises video keno,  
 said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo,  
 said controller being programmed to determine if a player has won a given number of consecutive winning games, said given number of consecutive winning games being non-selectable by a player, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being one of a non-whole number and a whole-number multiple of a normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.  
   
     
     
         2 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed with a software counter that is reset in response to a loss of a game.  
     
     
         3 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate one or more video images in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         4 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate one or more audio segments in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         5 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 1 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         6 . A gaming system as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said gaming apparatuses are interconnected via the Internet.  
     
     
         7 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display unit that is capable of generating video images;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a casino game,  
 said controller being programmed to determine if a player has won a given number of consecutive winning games, said given number of consecutive winning games being non-selectable by a player, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being based on a normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.  
   
     
     
         8 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said controller is programmed to determine a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being one of a non-whole number multiple and a whole-number multiple of said normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.  
     
     
         9 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said controller is programmed with a software counter that is reset in response to loss of a game.  
     
     
         10 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate one or more video images in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         11 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate one or more audio segments in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         12 . A gaming system, comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 7 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         13 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display unit that is capable of generating video images;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a payline selection,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image comprising a plurality of simulated slot machine reels of a slot game, each of said slot machine reels having a plurality of slot machine symbols,  
 said controller being programmed to determine if a player has won a given number of consecutive winning games, said given number of consecutive winning games being non-selectable by a player, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being based on a normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.  
   
     
     
         14 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said controller is programmed to allow a user to select a number of paylines.  
     
     
         15 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said controller is programmed to determine a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being one of a non-whole number multiple and a whole-number multiple of said normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.  
     
     
         16 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said controller is programmed with a software counter that is reset in response to loss of a game.  
     
     
         17 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate one or more video images in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         18 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate one or more audio segments in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         19 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 13 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         20 . A gaming method comprising: 
 causing a video game image to be generated, said video game image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slot, video keno and video bingo, 
 said video game image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video poker,  
 said video game image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots,  
 said video game image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,  
 said video game image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said game comprises video keno, and  
 said video game image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo;  
   determining if a person has won a given number of consecutive winning games, said given number of consecutive winning games being non-selectable by a player; and    determining a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being based on a normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.    
     
     
         21 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 20  additionally comprising determining a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being one of a non-whole number multiple and a whole-number multiple of said normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.  
     
     
         22 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 20  additionally comprising generating one or more video images in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         23 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 20  additionally comprising generating one or more audio segments in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         24 . A memory having a computer program stored therein, said computer program being capable of being used in connection with a gaming apparatus, said memory comprising: 
 a first memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to allow a person to make a wager;    a second memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to cause a video image to be generated on a display unit, said video image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slots, video keno and video bingo, 
 said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game comprises video poker,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said game comprises video keno,  
 said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo,  
   a third memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to determine if a player has won a given number of consecutive winning games, said given number of consecutive winning games being non-selectable by a player; and    a fourth memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to determine a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being based on a normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.    
     
     
         25 . A memory as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said memory additionally comprises a fifth portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to determine said bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being one of a non-whole number multiple and a whole-number multiple of said normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.  
     
     
         26 . A memory as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said memory additionally comprises a sixth portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to generate one or more video images in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         27 . A memory as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said memory additionally comprises a seventh portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to generate one or more audio segments in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         28 . A gaming apparatus for playing a slot game, said gaming apparatus comprising: 
 a user input device;    a value input device;    a plurality of rotatable slot machine reels, each of said slot machine reels having a plurality of slot machine symbols disposed thereon;    a controller operatively coupled to said user input device, said value input device, and said slot machine reels, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a player to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to determine if a player has won a given number of consecutive winning games, said given number of consecutive winning games being non-selectable by a player, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being based on a normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games, said normal value payout associated with an outcome of said slot game represented by a configuration of said slot machine symbols when said slot machine reels stop after having been rotated, and  
 said controller being programmed to cause an explanation of said normal value payout of said slot game based on the configuration of said slot machine symbols, and stored payout data in response to a person activating the user input device.  
   
     
     
         29 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 28 , wherein each of said slot machine reels comprises an image of a slot machine reel and wherein said slot machine reels are rotated by generating images of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels being rotated.  
     
     
         30 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said controller is programmed to determine said bonus value payout if a player has won a subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game, said bonus value payout being one of a non-whole number multiple and a whole-number multiple of said normal value payout that would have been paid out for winning said subsequent game without previously winning said given number of consecutive winning games.  
     
     
         31 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said controller is programmed with a software counter that is reset in response to a loss of a game.  
     
     
         32 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate one or more video images in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         33 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate one or more audio segments in response to winning said subsequent game after winning said given number of consecutive winning games without an intervening losing game.  
     
     
         34 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said slot machine reels comprises a plurality of mechanically rotatable reels and wherein said mechanically rotatable reels include a plurality of slot machine symbols formed thereon.