System and method for presenting payouts in gaming systems

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method for presenting payouts in primary and/or secondary gaming activities. A plurality of wheels, rings, or other shapes are provided, where each includes a plurality of different symbols, numbers, or other indicia that can be used as a part of a collective payout award. The wheels, rings, or shapes are rotated, and at least one segment designator is provided to demarcate segments of each wheel, ring, or shape as an active segment when the wheels, rings, or shapes stop spinning. The payout amount is based on the aggregate of the symbols, numbers, and/or other indicia presented via the segment designator(s) when the spinning wheels, rings, or shapes have come to rest. In an alternate embodiment, the segment designators are rotated, and demarcate segments of each wheel, ring, or shape as an active segment when the segment designators stop spinning.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for presenting gaming payouts comprising:
 a memory storing data related to a plurality of first award indicia, and data related to a plurality of second award indicia   a video display device;   a wager input mechanism structured to accept physical items associated with currency; and   a processor operable to:
 initiate a primary gaming activity upon receipt of a wager; 
 initiate a bonus activity when a bonus trigger is satisfied based on the primary gaming activity, where the bonus activity includes:
 displaying a first bonus wheel having a plurality of segments, where at least some of the plurality of segments include at least one of the first award indicia, 
 displaying a second bonus wheel concentrically with the first bonus wheel, the second bonus wheel having a plurality of segments, where at least some of the plurality of segments include at least one of the second award indicia, 
 initiating a first spin of the first bonus wheel, 
 stopping the first spin of the first bonus wheel, 
 identifying a segment of the first bonus wheel as a first identified segment of the first bonus wheel based on the first spin of the first bonus wheel, 
 initiating a first spin of the second bonus wheel, 
 stopping the first spin of the second bonus wheel, 
 identifying a segment of the second bonus wheel as a first identified segment of the second bonus wheel based on the first spin of the second bonus wheel, 
 determining a first bonus award part based at least in part on the first identified segment of the first bonus wheel, 
 determining a second bonus award part based at least in part on the second identified segment of the second bonus wheel, and 
 determining a collective bonus award based at least in part on the first bonus award part and based at least in part on the second bonus award part; 
 
 evaluate a result of the primary gaming activity to determine a primary game award; and 
 modify the primary game award with the collective bonus award to determine a payout amount. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first spin of the first bonus wheel includes a clockwise rotation of the first bonus wheel. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first spin of the second bonus wheel includes a counter-clockwise rotation of the second bonus wheel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bonus activity further includes:
 initiating a second spin of the first bonus wheel;   stopping the second spin of the first bonus wheel; and   identifying a segment of the first bonus wheel as a second identified segment of the first bonus wheel based on the second spin of the first bonus wheel.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein determining the first bonus award part includes determining the first bonus award part based at least in part on the first identified segment of the first bonus wheel and at least in part based on the second identified segment of the first bonus wheel. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the bonus activity further includes:
 initiating a second spin of the second bonus wheel;   stopping the second spin of the second bonus wheel; and   identifying a segment of the second bonus wheel as a second identified segment of the second bonus wheel based on the second spin of the second bonus wheel.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein determining the second bonus award part includes determining the second bonus award part based at least in part on the first identified segment of the second bonus wheel and at least in part based on the second identified segment of the second bonus wheel. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first award indicia includes a plurality of first numerical values and the plurality of second award indicia includes a plurality of second numerical values. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first award indicia includes a plurality of numerical values and the plurality of second award indicia includes a plurality of multiplier values. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first award indicia includes a plurality of first multiplier values and the plurality of second award indicia includes a plurality of second multiplier values. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first award indicia includes a plurality of first game symbols. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of second award indicia includes a plurality of second game symbols. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the video display device is configured to include a primary gaming activity presentation and a bonus activity presentation, the bonus activity presentation including presentation of the first bonus wheel and the second bonus wheel. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the primary gaming activity presentation includes a slot game having multiple slot gaming reels. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the primary gaming activity presentation includes a video poker game. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for presenting gaming payouts comprising:
 a memory storing data related to a plurality of first award indicia, and data related to a plurality of second award indicia   a video display device configured to display:
 a first bonus wheel having a plurality of segments, where at least some of the plurality of segments include at least one of the first award indicia, 
 a second bonus wheel concentrically positioned with the first bonus wheel and having a plurality of segments, where at least some of the plurality of segments include at least one of the second award indicia, 
 a first designator, and 
 a second designator; 
   a wager input mechanism structured to accept physical items associated with currency; and   a processor operable to:
 initiate a primary gaming activity upon receipt of a wager; 
 initiate a bonus activity when a bonus trigger is satisfied based on the primary gaming activity, where the bonus activity includes:
 rotating the first designator around the first bonus wheel, 
 stopping the first designator to identify a segment of the first bonus wheel, 
 rotating the second designator around the second bonus wheel, 
 stopping the second designator to identify a segment of the second bonus wheel, and 
 determining a collective bonus award based on the first award indicia associated with the identified segment of the first bonus wheel and the second award indicia associated with the identified segment of the second bonus wheel; 
 
 evaluate a result of the primary gaming activity to determine a primary game award; and 
 modify the primary game award with the collective bonus award to determine a payout amount. 
   
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a gaming device including a memory storing data related to a plurality of first award indicia and a plurality of second award indicia, a video display device configured to display concentric rotatable shapes including a first rotatable shape having a plurality of segments where at least some of the plurality of segments include at least one of the first award indicia and including a second rotatable shape having a plurality of segments where at least some of the plurality of segments include at least one of the second award indicia, a wager input mechanism structured to accept physical items associated with currency, and a processor, the method comprising:
 rotating the first rotatable shape;   stopping rotation of the first rotatable shape;   identifying at least one section of the stopped first rotatable shape;   incrementing a first award amount when the identified section of the first rotatable shape is associated with a first award indicia;   terminating play on the first rotatable shape when the identified section of the first rotatable shape is associated with a termination symbol;   rotating the second rotatable shape;   stopping rotation of the second rotatable shape;   identifying at least one section of the second rotatable shape;   incrementing a second award amount when the identified section of the second rotatable shape is associated with a second award indicia;   terminating play on the second rotatable shape when the identified section of the second rotatable shape is associated with a termination symbol; and   determining a collective payout result based on the first award amount and second award amount.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first award indicia and the plurality of second award indicia includes a plurality of numerical values. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first award indicia and the plurality of second award indicia includes a plurality of multiplier values. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further operable to respin the first rotatable shape when the identified section of the first rotatable shape is not a termination symbol.