Gaming terminal with bonus payout indicated by ball-control feature

Abstract

A gaming machine controlled by a processor in response to a wager, comprising a basic game and a bonus game is disclosed. The basic game includes a plurality of basic game outcomes, which include at least one start-bonus outcome. The bonus game feature is triggered by the start-bonus outcome indicated on a basic game visual display. The bonus game includes a chamber for displaying a plurality of physical balls which have a first and second indicia and a plurality of bonus prize tubes. Each prize tube is configured to display a randomly generated first or a second bonus prize award. The bonus game further includes a ball control feature activated by the start-bonus outcome which displays a prize ball in one of the prize tubes corresponding to a randomly generated bonus outcome. The prize ball will be displayed in the prize tube with the first indicia if the first bonus prize award is generated or with the second if the second bonus prize award generated.

1 . A gaming terminal for playing a basic wagering game and a bonus game comprising: 
 a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome for said basic wagering game, said randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player, said plurality of outcomes including a start-bonus outcome;    a chamber for jumbling a plurality of physical balls in response to said randomly selected outcome being said start-bonus outcome;    a plurality of prize tubes adjacent to said chamber for indicating a randomly selected bonus game award, each of said plurality of prize tubes capable of displaying a first prize award and a second prize award, said first prize award indicated by a prize ball having a first indicia displayed within said prize tube, and said second prize award indicated by a prize ball having a second indicia displayed within said prize tube; and    a ball-control device operable in conjunction with said plurality of prize tubes for displaying a prize ball within one of said plurality of prize tubes that corresponds to said randomly selected award.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second indicia are a first and second color.  
   
   
       3 . The gaming terminal of  claim 2 , further comprising a physical prize ball for indicating the first and second prize awards, said physical prize ball capable of changing from said first color to said second color and from said second color to said first color.  
   
   
       4 . The gaming terminal of  claim 2 , further comprising a first physical prize ball displayable in said first color and a second physical prize ball displayable in said second color.  
   
   
       5 . The gaming terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said chamber and said prize tubes are at least partially transparent.  
   
   
       6 . The gaming terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said ball-control device comprises a physical prize ball and a movable belt below said plurality of prize tubes for positioning said physical prize ball under said prize tube corresponding to said randomly selected award.  
   
   
       7 . The gaming terminal of  claim 6 , wherein said ball-control device further comprises a vacuum source positioned above said plurality of prize tubes for suctioning said physical prize ball into one of said plurality of prize tubes corresponding to said randomly selected award.  
   
   
       8 . The gaming terminal of  claim 1 , wherein each of said prize tubes has a lower end and said lower ends of each prize tube are interconnected to form a passageway, said passageway including at least one physical prize ball.  
   
   
       9 . The gaming terminal of  claim 8 , further comprising diverters positioned on said lower ends of each prize tube for closing the lower ends of each prize tube not corresponding to the randomly selected award thereby preventing the prize ball from entering said closed prize tubes.  
   
   
       10 . The gaming terminal of  claim 8 , wherein said passageway further comprises two prize ball openings for holding a first prize having said first color and a second prize ball having said second color.  
   
   
       11 . The gaming terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said ball-control device comprises: 
 a plurality of compartments positioned below a lower end of each prize tube, each compartment having at least one prize ball therein; and    at least one gate connected to each compartment for holding said prize ball in the compartment.    
   
   
       12 . The gaming terminal of  claim 11 , further comprising a blower operably connected to said compartments, said blower capable of forcing a prize ball from said compartment into said prize tube corresponding to said randomly selected award.  
   
   
       13 . The gaming terminal of  claim 11 , further comprising a first and a second prize ball in each compartment, said first prize ball having said first color and said second prize ball having said second color.  
   
   
       14 . The gaming terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second indicia are selected from the group consisting essentially of colors, letters, numbers, lines, and geometric shapes.  
   
   
       15 . A gaming terminal for playing a wagering game, comprising: 
 a chamber for jumbling a plurality of physical balls;    a plurality of prize tubes adjacent to said chamber for indicating an award in said wagering game, each of said plurality of prize tubes displaying a first prize award or a second prize award, said first prize award indicated by a prize ball that is displayed within said prize tube as a first color, and said second prize award indicated by a prize ball that is displayed within said prize tube as a second color; and    a single prize ball that is moveable into any of said plurality of prize tubes and being displayable in said first color and said second color, said single prize ball being moved to one of said plurality of prize tubes that corresponds to a randomly selected outcome of said wagering game.    
   
   
       16 . The gaming terminal of  claim 15 , further comprising a lighting system for changing said prize ball from said first color to said second color and from said second color to said first color.  
   
   
       17 . The gaming terminal of  claim 16 , wherein said lighting system is external to said single prize ball.  
   
   
       18 . The gaming terminal of  claim 15 , further comprising a prize ball control device for moving said prize ball among said plurality of prize tubes.  
   
   
       19 . The gaming terminal of  claim 15 , wherein each lower end of each prize tube is interconnected to form a passageway for holding said prize ball, said lower ends of each prize tube further comprising a diverter for closing the lower ends of each prize tube not corresponding to the randomly selected outcome thereby preventing the prize ball from entering said closed prize tubes.  
   
   
       20 . A method of operating a wagering game having a basic game and a bonus game, said method comprising: 
 receiving a wager from a player;    displaying a randomly selected outcome for said basic game, said randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving said wager, said plurality of outcomes including a start-bonus outcome;    jumbling a plurality of physical balls in a chamber in response to the selection of said start-bonus outcome; and    after a predetermined amount of time, displaying a prize ball in one of a plurality of prize tubes adjacent said chamber, said one prize tube corresponding to a randomly generated bonus-outcome, wherein said prize ball is displayed in said prize tube in a first color corresponding to a first prize award or a second color corresponding to a second prize award.