Electronic amusement device offering secondary game of chance and method for operating same

Abstract

An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, a slot machine server controls a secondary game of chance played at a client slot machine. The server receives a player identifier corresponding to a player and a client identifier corresponding to a client slot machine. The server retrieves registration data relating to a secondary game of chance corresponding to the player identifier and the client identifier. The server further receives an outcome from the client slot machine and analyzes the outcome based on game requirements associated with the secondary game of chance, thereby determining whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements. Once all of the game requirements have been satisfied, the server updates a session status indicating the completion of the game requirements.

1 - 36 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       37 . A method, comprising: 
 determining that a player has completed a secondary game of chance, the secondary game of chance being associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a gaming device configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and a secondary game of chance; and    providing a reward to the player if the player successfully completed the secondary game of chance.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the player had registered for the secondary game before completing the secondary game.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the secondary game defines at least one completion parameter associated with the secondary game of chance; and 
 wherein providing the reward comprises providing the reward only if the player satisfied the at least one completion parameter.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein providing a reward to the player comprises providing a reward to the player only if, in completing the secondary game of chance, the player satisfied the at least one completion parameter.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one completion parameter defines a maximum number of plays in which to successfully complete the secondary game of chance.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one completion parameter defines a maximum duration of time in which to play the secondary game of chance.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one completion parameter comprises a set of game requirements.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one completion parameter comprises a minimum number of gaming devices on which the player must play to receive a reward.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one completion parameter comprises a maximum number of gaming devices on which the player may play to receive a reward.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least on completion parameter comprises a minimum number of occurrences of a symbol output to the player via at least one gaming device associated with the secondary game.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one completion parameter comprises a requirement that the player collect a minimum number of outputs of a specified symbol along a payline while playing the gaming devices associated with the secondary game of chance.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 determining whether the player had pre-paid for the secondary game; and    only providing the reward if the player had pre-paid.    
   
   
       49 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;    said processor operative with said program in said memory to:    determine that a player has completed a secondary game of chance, the secondary game of chance being associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a gaming device configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and a secondary game of chance; and    provide a reward to the player if the player successfully completed the secondary game of chance.    
   
   
       50 . A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for directing a computing device to perform a method, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the method of: 
 determining that a player has completed a secondary game of chance, the secondary game of chance being associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a gaming device configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and a secondary game of chance; and    providing a reward to the player if the player successfully completed the secondary game of chance.    
   
   
       51 . A system, comprising: 
 a plurality of gaming devices, each of the plurality of gaming devices being configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and a secondary game of chance; and    an apparatus operable to communicate with the plurality of gaming devices, the apparatus further operable to: 
 determine that a player has completed a secondary game of chance, the secondary game of chance being associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to one of the plurality of gaming devices; and  
 provide a reward to the player if the player successfully completed the secondary game of chance.