Gaming bonus device and method of use

Abstract

A gaming bonus device and method of use in a gaming system. A game player is allowed to play a game for a prize on a primary game. The primary game generates a bonus-qualifying event. The bonus game, in response to the bonus-qualifying event, generates and displays three either/or binary outcomes entitling a player to a predefined payout. The game player can be allowed to select the winning outcome. The payout depends upon the number of similar binary outcomes displayed as compared to the selected winning outcome.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising: 
 a. a primary gaming device randomly generating a bonus qualifying event; and    b. a bonus game having a bonus game outcome, the bonus game outcome based at least partially on at least one binary game, the binary game having two possible outcomes.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , the binary game comprising at least two different indicia, the at least two different indicia configured to convey a binary game outcome.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , the bonus game configured to display a plurality of binary games.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 3 , the player being entitled to a predefined payout depending upon a number of similar binary outcomes displayed.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , the bonus game comprising at least one display object, at least one of the at least two different indicia appearing on the display object.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , the bonus game comprising at least one display object, the at least two different indicia appearing on the display object.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 6 , the display object resembling a coin.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , the bonus game comprising a plurality of display objects, the at least two different indicia appearing on each of the plurality of display objects.  
     
     
         9 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , further comprising a controller adapted to determine the bonus game outcome, wherein the bonus game outcome comprises a base award and a multiplier, the player being awarded a prize equal to the product of the multiplier and the base award, the base award being conveyed by which of the two indicia are displayed to a player.  
     
     
         10 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , further comprising an input device that allows a player an opportunity to select one of the at least two different indicia as defining a winning outcome.  
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , further comprising a video display, the at least one binary game displayed on the video display.  
     
     
         12 . A gaming method comprising: 
 (A) allowing a player to place a wager and play a game of chance;    (B) determining at least one binary game outcome, the binary game outcome having two possible outcomes;    (C) displaying the at least one binary game outcome to the player;    (D) determining a game outcome, the game outcome being at least partially dependent on the at least one binary game outcome; and    (E) if the game outcome comprises a winning outcome, awarding a first prize to the player.    
     
     
         13 . The gaming method of  claim 12 , the step of displaying the at least one binary game outcome to the player comprising displaying at least two different indicia to the player.  
     
     
         14 . The gaming method of  claim 13 , further comprising moving a display object, the display object capable of displaying at least one of the at least two different indicia to the player and stopping the display object so that the indicium of the at least two different indicia that at least partially conveys the binary game outcome is displayed to the player.  
     
     
         15 . The gaming method of  claim 12 , the step of determining at least one binary game outcome comprises determining a plurality of binary game outcomes, the game outcome being determined by the number of similar binary game outcomes obtained.  
     
     
         16 . The gaming method of  claim 12 , the step of determining at least one binary game outcome comprises determining a plurality of binary game outcomes, one of the at least two indicia signifying a winning binary game outcome, the game outcome being determined by the number of winning binary game outcomes.  
     
     
         17 . The gaming method of  claim 16 , further comprising allowing a player to select one of the at least two indicia that will signify a winning binary game outcome.  
     
     
         18 . The gaming method of  claim 16 , the step of displaying the at least one binary game outcome to the player comprising displaying the plurality of binary game outcomes to the player by moving a plurality of display objects, each display object adapted to convey one binary game outcome.  
     
     
         19 . The gaming method of  claim 12 , further comprising allowing the player to choose between being awarded the first prize and playing for a second prize.  
     
     
         20 . The gaming method of  claim 19 , wherein the second prize is a multiple of the first prize.  
     
     
         21 . The gaming method of  claim 19 , further comprising determining at least one binary game outcome, the second prize being related to the at least one binary game outcome.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming method of  claim 19 , further comprising determining a plurality of binary game outcomes, the second prize being related to the number of similar binary outcomes obtained.  
     
     
         23 . The gaming method of  claim 22 , wherein the number of similar binary outcome obtained are used to determine a multiplier by which the first prize is multiplied to determine the second prize.  
     
     
         24 . The gaming method of  claim 22 , further comprising awarding the player a consolation prize if the number of similar outcomes obtained is below a predetermined threshold.  
     
     
         25 . The gaming method of  claim 19 , one of the at least two different indicia indicating a winning binary game outcome, further comprising determining a plurality of binary game outcomes, the second prize being related to the number of winning binary game outcomes obtained.  
     
     
         26 . The gaming method of  claim 25 , further comprising allowing the player to select which of the at least two different indicia indicates a winning binary game outcome.  
     
     
         27 . The gaming method of  claim 12 , wherein the game outcome comprises a bonus game and the at least one binary game outcome is determined by rotating a spinning coin having a head and a tail face that is associated with a primary gaming device and selectively spun.  
     
     
         28 . A gaming bonus method according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one binary game outcome is displayed on a video screen.  
     
     
         29 . A gaming device comprising: 
 a. a value acceptor adapted to accept value from a player;    b. an input device for a player to place a wager and play a game of chance;    c. a controller in communication with the value acceptor and the input device, the controller randomly determining a game outcome;    d. a game display in communication with the controller, the game display comprising at least one display object bearing at least one of two different game related indicia, the display object at least partially conveying a binary game outcome, the binary game outcome comprising one of two possible outcomes.    
     
     
         30 . The gaming device of  claim 29 , the display object bearing each of the at least two different indicia.  
     
     
         31 . The gaming device of  claim 29 , the display object being moveable.  
     
     
         32 . The gaming device of  claim 31 , the display object being rotatable about a vertical axis.  
     
     
         33 . The gaming device of  claim 31 , the display object resembling a coin having two different faces.  
     
     
         34 . The gaming device of  claim 29 , the at least one display object comprising a plurality of display objects, wherein the display objects convey a plurality of binary game outcomes.  
     
     
         35 . The gaming system of  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of display objects are moveable.  
     
     
         36 . The gaming system of  claim 29 , further comprising a video screen, the display object appearing on the video screen.