Gaming apparatus and systems

Abstract

Gaming apparatus, e.g. an Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) ( 1 ), includes a controller ( 2 ) for implementing e.g. a slot-machine game. The controller ( 2 ) displays a suitable gaming image on a display ( 6 ), e.g. virtual symbol reels ( 11 ) having a plurality of pay lines ( 12 ), and a player interacts with the EGM ( 1 ) through push buttons ( 8 ) or the like, e.g. to select the number of pay lines ( 12 ) to play and to spin the reels ( 11 ). The EGM ( 1 ) includes means for selecting one or more of the pay lines ( 11 ) as bonus pay lines and for associating a bonus feature with the bonus pay lines, so that if an appropriate win event occurs on a bonus play line, the bonus feature will trigger. For example, a win on a bonus pay line could pay out three times the prize of a win on a normal pay line.

1 . Gaming apparatus including: reel means for providing a plurality of reels, the reels having gaming symbols thereon and being arranged adjacent one another so as to provide a number of pay lines thereacross; and bonus means for setting one or more of said pay lines to be a bonus pay line and for associating a bonus feature with the bonus pay line. 
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a bonus feature is a win event that is a modification of a win event on a normal pay line, e.g. a multiplication of a prize or feature that would be won on a normal pay line. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a bonus feature is a win event exclusive to the bonus line. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a win event is the winning of a prize or the winning of a feature. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bonus feature is related to the winning of a jackpot prize, e.g. the winning of a jackpot prize or the chance of entering a jackpot play. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus include gameplay monitoring means, and the apparatus determines the number of bonus pay lines to assign a player dependent on gameplay. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein gameplay relates to a current play of a game, e.g. the number of bonus lines awarded depends on the number of pay lines that a player is to play and/or on the bet amount that a player has laid. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein gameplay relates to gameplay history, e.g. gameplay in one or more previous plays of a game. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein bonus pay lines are won as a feature event. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , including automatic selection means for automatically determining which pay lines are to be bonus pay lines. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , including manual selection means for allowing a player to select which pay lines are to be bonus pay lines. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bonus means selects at least two bonus pay lines and associates a first bonus feature with a first bonus pay line and a different bonus feature with a second bonus pay line. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , including display apparatus for indicating played pay lines and for indicating which of said pay lines are bonus pay lines. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said reel means includes means for generating simulated reels. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said reel means includes physical wheels. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is an electronic gaming machine. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes a central control and a plurality of remote devices in communication with the central control. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes a network of electronic devices. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein bonus lines are awarded based on the gameplay of other linked devices. 
   
   
       20 . A gaming system including: reel means for providing a plurality of reels, the reels having gaming symbols thereon and being arranged adjacent one another so as to provide a number of pay lines thereacross; and bonus means for setting one or more of said pay lines to be a bonus pay line and for associating a bonus feature with the bonus pay line. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the system includes a central control for running a gaming algorithm, and a plurality of remote clients in communication with the central control over a communications network, the remote clients including means for displaying gaming screens and for allowing player interaction with the central control. 
   
   
       22 . A method of operating gaming apparatus, the method including the steps of: spinning a plurality of reels to provide a bet outcome, the reels having gaming symbols thereon and being arranged adjacent one another so as to provide a number of pay lines thereacross, each pay line providing a bet outcome; and specifying one or more of said pay lines to be a bonus pay line and associating a bonus feature with the specified bonus pay line. 
   
   
       23 . Gaming software including: a component for generating a plurality of game reels, the reels having gaming symbols thereon and being arranged adjacent one another so as to provide a number of pay lines thereacross; and a component for setting one or more of said pay lines as a bonus pay line and for associating a bonus feature with the bonus pay line. 
   
   
       24 . A computer software product including a storage medium on which is stored gaming software according to  claim 23 . 
   
   
       25 . Gaming apparatus including: a set of reels that provide a number of pay lines, and a selector for allowing the selection of one or more of said pay lines as a bonus pay line and for associating a bonus feature with said bonus pay line. 
   
   
       26 . An electronic slot game in which one or more pay lines across a plurality of game reels can be specified as bonus pay lines, the bonus pay lines each having a bonus feature associated therewith that is not provided on a normal pay line. 
   
   
       27 . Gaming apparatus including: game means for playing a game, including means for placing a bet on a game and means for generating a plurality of sets of game symbols, the combination of game symbols in a set determining a win event for that set; selection means for specifying one or more of said sets from said plurality of sets as a bonus set; and bonus means for associating a bonus event with said bonus sets, wherein if a win event occurs in a bonus set, said associated bonus event is triggered. 
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said sets are pay lines in a video slot game and the symbols are symbols on slot reels. 
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said sets are hands of cards and the symbols are card symbols. 
   
   
       30 . Gaming apparatus including: means for generating a plurality of sets of symbols, the combination of symbols in a set determining a win event for that set; selection means for specifying one or more of said sets as a bonus set; and bonus means for associating a bonus event with a win event in said bonus set, wherein if said win event is triggered in a bonus set, said associated bonus feature is triggered.