Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

Abstract

There is disclosed a method of gaming comprising receiving a selection of at least one combination of symbol display positions of a set of symbol display positions at which selected symbols will be displayed in a game round, selecting symbols for the game round, and evaluating whether symbols displayed in each selected combination of symbol display positions for the game round correspond to one or more jackpot events associated with respective ones of a plurality of jackpots having different values to thereby determine whether to award one or more of said jackpots in respect of each selected combination.

1 . A method of gaming comprising:
 receiving a selection of at least one combination of symbol display positions of a set of symbol display positions at which selected symbols will be displayed in a game round;   selecting symbols for the game round;   evaluating whether symbols displayed in each selected combination of symbol display positions for the game round correspond to one or more jackpot events associated with respective ones of a plurality of jackpots having different values to thereby determine whether to award one or more of said jackpots in respect of each selected combination.   
     
     
         2 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising arranging said symbol display positions in a plurality of columns such that each combination of symbol display positions to be selected comprises one of said symbol display positions from each column. 
     
     
         3 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each combination of symbol display positions comprises a pay line. 
     
     
         4 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each jackpot event comprises at least one wild symbol adapted to substitute for any symbol in said selected combination to form a winning combination using those symbols. 
     
     
         5 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each wild symbol indicates a value of respective ones of the plurality of jackpots to be awarded. 
     
     
         6 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein one of said wild symbols indicates a major jackpot to be awarded and another one of said wild symbols indicates a minor jackpot of lesser value to be awarded. 
     
     
         7 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a wager such that each selected combination of symbol display positions comprises at least a portion of said wager placed thereon. 
     
     
         8 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising modifying a probability of awarding one or more of said jackpots proportional to a value of said wager placed on each selected combination. 
     
     
         9 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein modifying the probability of awarding one or more of said jackpots comprises increasing the probability of selecting symbols to be displayed in each selected combination which are to be evaluated to correspond to one or more jackpot events proportional to the value of said wager placed on each selected combination. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming system comprising:
 a game play mechanism operable by a player to make a selection of at least one combination of symbol display positions of a set of symbol display positions at which selected symbols will be displayed in a game round;   a symbol selector arranged to select symbols for a game round; and   an outcome evaluator arranged to evaluate whether symbols displayed in each selected combination of symbol display positions for the game round correspond to one or more jackpot events associated with respective ones of a plurality of jackpots having different values to thereby determine whether to award one or more of said jackpots in respect of each selected combination.   
     
     
         11 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a display to display said symbol display positions in a plurality of columns, wherein each combination of symbol display positions to be selected comprises one of said symbol display positions from each of said columns. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said game play mechanism is further operable to receive a wager such that at least a portion of said wager can be placed on each selected combination. 
     
     
         13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said symbol selector is further arranged to select symbols evaluated to correspond to one or more jackpot events proportional to a value of said wager placed on each selected combination. 
     
     
         14 . A game controller arranged to receive a selection of at least one combination of symbol display positions of a set of symbol display positions at which selected symbols will be displayed in a game round, the game controller comprising:
 a symbol selector arranged to select symbols for a game round; and   an outcome evaluator arranged to evaluate whether symbols displayed in each selected combination of symbol display positions for the game round correspond to one or more jackpot events associated with respective ones of a plurality of jackpots having different values to thereby determine whether to award one or more of said jackpots in respect of each selected combination.   
     
     
         15 . A gaming system comprising:
 means for selecting at least one combination of symbol display positions of a set of symbol display positions at which selected symbols will be displayed in a game round;   means for selecting symbols for a game round;   means for evaluating whether symbols displayed in each selected combination of symbol display positions for the game round correspond to one or more jackpot events associated with respective ones of a plurality of jackpots having different values to thereby determine whether to award one or more of said jackpots in respect of each selected combination.   
     
     
         16 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one electronic gaming machine comprising a cabinet, a display mounted within the cabinet arranged to display symbols in symbol display positions, and at least one game play mechanism mounted to the cabinet incorporating at least one input device, the game play mechanism operable by a player to make a selection of at least one combination of symbol display positions of a set of symbol display positions at which selected symbols will be displayed in a game round, and a game controller disposed within the cabinet comprising a processor and a memory storing game control instructions which enable the game controller to operate in response to operation of the game play mechanism, the game controller comprising:   a symbol selector arranged to select symbols for a game round; and   an outcome evaluator arranged to evaluate whether symbols displayed in each selected combination of symbol display positions for the game round correspond to one or more jackpot events associated with respective ones of a plurality of jackpots having different values to thereby determine whether to award one or more of said jackpots in respect of each selected combination.   
     
     
         17 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising executing computer program code. 
     
     
         18 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising storing said computer program code in a computer readable medium. 
     
     
         19 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising transmitting or receiving the program code.