Method to Drive an Auxiliary Wagering Game Using a Reeled Slot Machine

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to drive an auxiliary game using resultant reel stops on a slot machine. Reel stops can have an action or property associated with them which affects the auxiliary game. When a player spins reels on the slot machine, the player can win a standard prize based on a resulting combination of symbols displayed on the slot machine and the player can also win an auxiliary prized based on the auxiliary game which can be controlled, in whole or in part, by where the reels stop.

1 . A method to implement a wagering game, the method comprising:
 executing on an electronic processing unit, instructions that perform the following operations:   displaying a series of locations;   outputting a direction to move a marker;   moving the marker to a location based on the direction;   displaying a first award amount to be won if the marker reaches a first location and   displaying a second award amount to be won if the marker reaches a second location;   updating the first award amount and/or the second award amount; and   repeating the displaying, outputting, moving, displaying, and updating until the marker reaches the first location or the second location.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising awarding to a player the first amount if the marker reached the first location or awarding to the player the second amount if the marker reached the second location. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the direction is determined randomly. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the direction is determined based on where a slot machine reel stops after being spun. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the direction is determined based on a resultant symbol on a slot machine reel that has just been spun. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the updating the first award amount and/or the second award amount comprises: allowing the player to select the first award amount or the second award amount, and updating either the first award amount or the second award amount based on the player's selection. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus to implement a wagering game, the method comprising:
 an input device and an output device;   a processing unit operationally connected to the input device and the output device, processing unit configured to execute instructions that perform:   displaying a series of locations;   outputting a direction to move a marker;   moving the marker to a location based on the direction;   displaying a first award amount to be won if the marker reaches a first location and   displaying a second award amount to be won if the marker reaches a second location;   updating the first award amount and/or the second award amount; and   repeating the displaying, outputting, moving, displaying, and updating until the marker reaches the first location or the second location.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the instructions further perform: awarding to a player the first amount if the marker reached the first location or awarding to the player the second amount if the marker reached the second location. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the direction is determined randomly. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the direction is determined based on where a slot machine reel stops after being spun. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the direction is determined based on a resultant symbol on a slot machine reel that has just been spun. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8  wherein the updating the first award amount and/or the second award amount comprises: allowing the player to select the first award amount or the second award amount, and updating either the first award amount or the second award amount based on the player's selection.