Electronic gaming machine and method of playing thereof

Abstract

A gaming machine is provided comprising: a display; and a game controller arranged to control images of a predetermined set of symbols selectively displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein symbols from said set of symbols are displayed on the display, the symbols being randomly selected and/or located on the display to display at least one random event, and if a predefined winning event occurs, the gaming machine awards a prize. At least two symbols or combinations of symbols each represent two different predetermined trigger events, the occurrence of which triggers the award of a features prize. The machine further comprises bet apportioning function which operates under the control of a player to allow the player to apportion a total credit bet across two or more possible trigger events. The feature prize associated with the occurrence of a particular trigger event is dependant upon the amount of the credit apportioned to the respective trigger event. A method of playing the gaming machine is also provided comprising; displaying a plurality of trigger events for a game to be played on the gaming machine, providing a player interface via which the player chooses bet amounts to apportion to the displayed trigger events, displaying feature prize values associated with each of the displayed trigger events after the player has apportioned his bet between the displayed trigger events, in response to player initiation displaying a game sequence and a game outcome on the display, and if the game outcome is one of the trigger events awarding the associated feature prize value to the player.

1 . A gaming machine comprising: 
 i. a display; and    ii. a game controller arranged to control images of a predetermined set of symbols selectively displayed on the display; the game controller being arranged to play a game wherein symbols from said set of symbols are displayed on the display, the symbols being randomly selected and/or located on the display to display at least one random event, and if a predefined winning event occurs, the gaming machine awards a value;    wherein at least two symbols or combinations of symbols each represent two different predetermined trigger events, the occurrence of which triggers the award of a features prize value, and the machine further comprises bet apportioning means operated under the control of a player to allow the player to apportion a total credit bet across two or more possible trigger events whereby the feature prize value associated with the occurrence of a particular trigger event is dependant upon the amount of the credit apportioned to the respective trigger event.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the apportioning means allows a zero bet value to be apportioned to one or more trigger events by the player.  
   
   
       3 . The gaming machine of  claim 2 , wherein the apportioning means allocates a minimum bet value to triggering events that have had a zero bet value allocated by a player.  
   
   
       4 . The gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein the minimum bet value allocated to a trigger event to which the player has allocated a zero bet value is the same value for each trigger event.  
   
   
       5 . The gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein the minimum bet value allocated to a trigger event to which the player has allocated a zero bet value is a different value for each trigger event in a game.  
   
   
       6 . The gaming machine of  claim 5 , wherein the minimum bet value allocated to a trigger event to which the player has allocated a zero bet value is a different value for each play of the same game.  
   
   
       7 . The gaming machine of  claim 6  wherein the minimum bet value allocated to a trigger event to which the player has allocated a zero bet value is allocated randomly by the apportioning means at the start of each game.  
   
   
       8 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein one of the trigger events is associated with a progressive prize value which increments with each play of the game and is awarded if the trigger event occurs.  
   
   
       9 . The gaming machine of  claim 8  wherein at least two of the trigger events are associated with two different progressive prize values which are derived from a value or values which are incremented with each play of the game and each of which is awarded if the respective trigger event occurs.  
   
   
       10 . The gaming machine of  claim 8  wherein a system interface is provided to connect the gaming machine to a link progressive system network, and the progressive prize is accumulated by the link progressive system from contributions from a plurality of gaming machines connected to the system.  
   
   
       11 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the game is a primary game in which a plurality of spinning reels are displayed, each of the reels having a plurality of symbols thereon.  
   
   
       12 . The gaming machine of  claim 11  wherein a plurality of secondary games are provided each of which are associated with a different one of the reels.  
   
   
       13 . The gaming machine of  claim 12  wherein at least one display device is provided to display the secondary games.  
   
   
       14 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the game is a keno, lotto or bingo game in which symbols carrying indicia are randomly selected in sequence to create a winning indicia set.  
   
   
       15 . The gaming machine of  claim 14 , wherein the indicia each comprise a number from a set of numbers.  
   
   
       16 . A method of operation for a gaming machine comprising: 
 i. a display;    ii. a game controller arranged to play a game wherein it controls images on the display, to display at least one random event, and if a predefined winning event occurs, the gaming machine awards a value, wherein at least two possible random events each represent two different predetermined trigger events, the occurrence of which triggers the award of a bonus prize value; and    iii. bet apportioning means operated by the game controller under the control of a player to allow the player to apportion a total credit bet across two or more possible trigger events whereby the feature prize value associated with the occurrence of a particular trigger event is dependant upon the amount of the credit apportioned to the respective trigger event:    the method comprising;    a. displaying a plurality of trigger events for a game to be played on the gaming machine;    b. providing a player interface via which the player chooses bet amounts to apportion to the displayed trigger events;    c. displaying feature prize values associated with each of the displayed trigger events after the player has apportioned his bet between the displayed trigger events;    d. in response to player initiation displaying a game sequence and a game outcome on the display; and    e. if the game outcome is one of the trigger events awarding the associated feature prize value to the player.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the player interface permits the player to apportion a zero bet value to one or more of the trigger events.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein after the player apportions the bet value, the apportioning means allocates a minimum bet value to triggering events that have had a zero bet value allocated by a player.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein after the player apportions the bet value, the apportioning means allocates the same minimum bet value for each trigger event to which the player has allocated a zero bet value.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein after the player apportions the bet value, the apportioning means allocates a different minimum bet value for each trigger event to which the player has allocated a zero bet value.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the apportioning means allocates a different minimum bet value to a given trigger event for each play of the same game, if the player apportions a zero bet value to that trigger event.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the apportioning means randomly allocates a minimum bet value to a given at the start of each game if the player has allocated a zero bet value to that trigger event.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16  wherein one of the trigger events is associated with a progressive prize value and the method includes incrementing the prize value with each play of the game and awarding the current prize value if the trigger event occurs.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein at least two of the trigger events are associated with two different progressive prize values and the method includes incrementing a progressive prize register with each play of the game, deriving the two different progressive prize values from the progressive prize register awarding the current prize value of each of the two different progressive prize values if the respective trigger event occurs.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein a system interface is provided to connect the gaming machine to a link progressive system network, and the method includes the link progressive system accumulating the progressive prize from contributions from a plurality of gaming machines connected to the system.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 16 , including displaying a primary game sequence in which a plurality of spinning reels are displayed, each of the reels having a plurality of symbols thereon.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  including awarding one of a plurality of secondary games, each of which are associated with a different one of the reels, if a predetermined triggering event occurs and displaying a game sequence of the awarded secondary game.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising displaying a game sequence of a game selected from keno, lotto or bingo, in which symbols carrying indicia are randomly selected in sequence to create a winning indicia set.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein selecting step comprises selecting a number from a set of numbers.  
   
   
       30 . A gaming device comprising: 
 a primary game;    a plurality of spinning reels in the primary game, each said reels having a plurality of symbols thereon including at least one predetermined trigger event;    a plurality of secondary games which are each associated with a different one of said reels;    at least one display device for displaying the secondary games;    a processor in communication with the reels and for controlling the display device and the secondary games;    wherein, the machine further comprises means to allow a player to apportion a total credit bet across two or more said trigger events.    
   
   
       31 . A gaming device of  claim 30  wherein, the trigger events, across which the apportioning means allows a player to allocate a portion of an available total bet, include at least two progressive prize triggers.  
   
   
       32 . A method of  claim 16  wherein the gaming machine includes: 
 a plurality of spinning reels in the primary game, each said reels having a plurality of symbols thereon including at least one predetermined trigger event;    the method further comprising;    a) before playing the primary game, deciding how much to bet on the primary game;    b) placing a bet on at least two trigger events such that one bet on a first trigger event is a portion of a total available credit bet for a trigger event and another bet on at least a second trigger event is a portion of the total available credit bet for the trigger event;    c) initiating play of the gaming device;    d) in the event that a trigger event occurs, awarding to the player a reward for a trigger event commensurate with the proportion of the total of the available credit bet for a trigger event.    
   
   
       33 . A method of  claim 32  further comprising: 
 a) before play of the primary game assigning a zero bet value to one or more trigger events in a multi trigger progressive prize game;    b) allowing a player to decide how much to bet on the primary game, and to place a bet on at least two trigger events such that one bet on a first trigger event is a portion of a total available credit bet for a trigger event and another bet on at least a second trigger event is a portion of the total available credit bet for the trigger event;    c) initiating play of the gaming device;    in the event that a trigger event occurs, awarding to the player a reward for a trigger event commensurate with the proportion of the total of the available credit bet for a trigger event and in the event of a zero bet on one or more triggers, allowing a player to win on a trigger based on the zero bet value assigned for that trigger.