Gaming machine and method having bonus game with skilled and non-skilled options

Abstract

A gaming machine and a method for playing a game. The gaming machine includes a base game and a bonus game. A plurality of game elements are displayed on a display during the base game. The base game and the bonus game are controlled by a controller as a function of input by a player. The controller identifies an occurrence of a triggering event during the base game, enters the bonus game upon the occurrence of the triggering event, and offers the player a choice between a skilled option and a non-skilled option in the bonus game.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gaming machine for playing a game, the game having a base game and a bonus game, comprising: 
 a display for displaying a plurality of game elements during the base game; and,    a controller coupled to the display for controlling the display during the base game and a bonus game as a function of input by a player, identifying an occurrence of a triggering event during the base game, entering the bonus game upon the occurrence of the triggering event, and, offering the player a choice between a skilled option and a non-skilled option in the bonus game, the skilled option including a first pay table and the non-skilled option including a second pay table, and responsively awarding the player a bonus.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the first pay table represents a greater pay opportunity to the player than the second pay table.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the first pay table has a first maximum payout and the second pay table has a second maximum payout, where the first maximum payout is greater than the second maximum payout.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the second maximum payout has a higher relative probability than the first maximum payout.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to present to the player a plurality of items when the player selects one of the skilled and the non-skilled options, each item associated with a multiplier.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 5 , where the multiplier associated with each item is determined when the bonus game is entered.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 5 , where the multiplier associated with each item is determined after an item has been selected by the player.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 5 , where, if the player selects the skilled option, the controller prompts the player to select one of the items, displays the multiplier associated with a first selected item and prompts the player to keep or discard the first selected item.  
     
     
         9 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the controller prompts the player to select another one of the items if the player discards the previously selected item and displays the multiplier associated with the second selected item.  
     
     
         10 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the bonus is a function of the multiplier associated with the first selected item if the player keeps the first selected item and is a function is a function of the multiplier associated with the second selected item if the player discards the first selected item.  
     
     
         11 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 5 , where, if the player selected the non-skilled option, the controller prompts the player to select two of the items and displays the multiplier associated with each selected item, where the bonus is a function of a sum of the multipliers associated with each of the selected items.  
     
     
         12 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 5 , where the plurality of items includes a framed pictured, a chest, a record player, a piggy bank, and a statue.  
     
     
         13 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , where the gaming machine has a yard sale theme.  
     
     
         14 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , where the triggering event is the appearance of a predetermined number of a predetermined game element in predetermined locations on a pay line.  
     
     
         15 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined game element is indicative of a yard sale.  
     
     
         16 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 14 , where the game elements are displayed in a plurality of reels on the display and the predetermined locations include a location on each reel.  
     
     
         17 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 14 , where the game elements are displayed in a plurality of reels on the display and the predetermined locations include a location on less than all of the reels.  
     
     
         18 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 14 , where the game elements are displayed in five reels and the predetermined locations include a location on a first three of the reels.  
     
     
         19 . A gaming machine for playing a game, the game having a base game and a bonus game, comprising: 
 a display for displaying a plurality of game elements during the base game and the bonus game; and,    a controller coupled to the display for controlling the display during the base game and the bonus game as a function of input by a player, identifying an occurrence of a triggering event during the base game, entering the bonus game upon the occurrence of the triggering event and offering, during the bonus game, the player a choice between a skilled option and a non-skilled option, wherein the controller presents to the player a plurality of items when the player selects one of the skilled and non-skilled options, each item being associated with a multiplier, the skilled option including a first pay table and the non-skilled option including a second pay table, and responsively awarding the player a bonus, where, if the player selects the skilled option, the controller prompts the player to select one of the items, displays the multiplier associated with a first selected item and prompts the player to keep or discard the first selected item, the controller prompts the player to select another one of the items if the player discards the previously selected item and displays the multiplier associated with the second selected item, and where, if the player selects the non-skilled option, the controller prompts the player to select two of the items and displays the multiplier associated with each of the two selected item, and awards the player a bonus during the bonus game.    
     
     
         20 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the first pay table represents a greater pay opportunity to the player than the second pay table.  
     
     
         21 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the first pay table has a first maximum payout and the second pay table has a second maximum payout, where the first maximum payout is greater than the second maximum payout.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the second maximum payout has a higher relative probability than the first maximum payout.  
     
     
         23 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 19 , where the multiplier associated with each item is determined when the bonus game is entered.  
     
     
         24 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 19 , where the multiplier associated with each item is determined after an item has been selected by the player.  
     
     
         25 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the bonus is a function of the multiplier associated with the first selected item if the player chose the skilled option and keeps the first selected item, a function of the multiplier associated with the second selected item if the player chose the skilled option and discards the first selected item, or a function of the two multipliers associated with the two selected items if the player chose the non-skilled option.  
     
     
         26 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 19 , where the plurality of items includes a framed pictured, a chest, a record player, a piggy bank, and a statue.  
     
     
         27 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 19 , where the gaming machine has a yard sale theme.  
     
     
         28 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 19 , where the triggering event is the appearance of a predetermined number of a predetermined game element in predetermined locations on a pay line.  
     
     
         29 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein the predetermined game element is indicative of a yard sale.  
     
     
         30 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 28 , where the game elements are displayed in a plurality of reels on the display and the predetermined locations include a location on each reel.  
     
     
         31 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 28 , where the game elements are displayed in a plurality of reels on the display and the predetermined locations include a location on less than all of the reels.  
     
     
         32 . The gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 28 , where the game elements are displayed in five reels and the predetermined locations include a location on a first three of the reels.  
     
     
         33 . A method for operating a gaming machine for playing a game, the game having a base game and a bonus game, comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of game elements on a display during the base game; and,    identifying an occurrence of a triggering event during the base game;    entering the bonus game upon the occurrence of the triggering event;    offering the player a choice between a skilled option and a non-skilled option, the skilled option have a first pay table and the non-skilled option having a second pay table; and,    responsively playing one of the skilled option and the non-skilled option and responsively awarding the playing a bonus during the bonus game.    
     
     
         34 . The method, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the first pay table represents a greater pay opportunity to the player than the second pay table.  
     
     
         35 . The method, as set forth in  claim 34 , wherein the first pay table has a first maximum payout and the second pay table has a second maximum payout, where the first maximum payout is greater than the second maximum payout.  
     
     
         36 . The method, as set forth in  claim 35 , wherein the second maximum payout has a higher relative probability than the first maximum payout.  
     
     
         37 . The method, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the controller is adapted to present to the player a plurality of items, each item associated with a multiplier.  
     
     
         38 . The method, as set forth in  claim 37 , where the multiplier associated with each item is determined when the bonus game is entered.  
     
     
         39 . The method, as set forth in  claim 37 , where the multiplier associated with each item is determined after an item has been selected by the player.  
     
     
         40 . The method, as set forth in  claim 37 , where, if the player selects the skilled option, the method includes prompting the player to select one of the items, displaying the multiplier associated with a selected item and prompting the player to keep or discard the selected item.  
     
     
         41 . The method, as set forth in  claim 41 , including prompting the player to select another one of the items if the player discards the previously selected item and displays the multiplier associated with the second selected item.  
     
     
         42 . The method, as set forth in  claim 41 , wherein the bonus is a function of the multiplier associated with the selected item.  
     
     
         43 . The method, as set forth in  claim 38 , where, if the player selected the non-skilled option, the controller prompts the player to select two of the items and displays the multiplier associated with each selected item, where the bonus is a function of the multiplier associated with each of the selected items.  
     
     
         44 . The method, as set forth in  claim 38 , where the plurality of items includes a framed pictured, a chest, a record player, a piggy bank, and a statue.  
     
     
         45 . The method, as set forth in  claim 33 , where the gaming machine has a yard sale theme.  
     
     
         46 . The method, as set forth in  claim 45 , where the triggering event is the appearance of a predetermined number of a predetermined game element in predetermined locations on a pay line.  
     
     
         47 . The method, as set forth in  claim 46 , wherein the predetermined game element is indicative of a yard sale.  
     
     
         48 . The method, as set forth in  claim 46 , where the game elements are displayed in a plurality of reels on the display and the predetermined locations include a location on each reel.  
     
     
         49 . The method, as set forth in  claim 46 , where the game elements are displayed in a plurality of reels on the display and the predetermined locations include a location on less than all of the reels.  
     
     
         50 . The method, as set forth in  claim 46 , where the game elements are displayed in five reels and the predetermined locations include a location on a first three of the reels.