Multi-player bingo game with secondary wager for instant win game

Abstract

The invention is directed to methods and gaming units for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game having a finite pool of outcomes, with an outcome for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game being determined, and an outcome for the instant win game being selected from the finite pool of outcomes. The multi-player wagering game may be a multi-player Bingo game wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia. Players may win an award for the instant win game if the outcome selected from the finite pool is a winning outcome. The players may optionally participate in the instant win game based on input information and wager amounts. In alternative embodiments, the instant win game may be configured to provide a progressive jackpot if one of the available progressive jackpot-winning outcomes is selected from the finite pool. Graphics corresponding to the instant win game may be displayed to the players independently or in conjunction with displays of the outcome of the multi-player wagering game.

1 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game having a finite pool of outcomes, wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from the range of game indicia, and wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player's unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, comprising: 
 receiving a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at a gaming unit;    receiving input for a player's wager on an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game at an input device of the gaming unit;    subtracting the amount of the player's wager on the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game from the player's available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player's wager, wherein the player's available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit;    subtracting an instant win game wager amount from one of the player's available credit and the credits subtracted from the player's available credit;    determining an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game; and    selecting an outcome for the instant win game from the finite pool of outcomes.    
   
   
       2 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the instant win game wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.  
   
   
       3 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the instant win game wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player's wager for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game.  
   
   
       4 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 comparing the amount of the player's wager on the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game to a minimum wager amount; and    subtracting the instant win game wager amount and selecting the outcome for the instant win game if the player's wager is greater than or equal to a minimum wager amount.    
   
   
       5 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game.  
   
   
       6 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 receiving input for a player's instant win game wager for the occurrence of the wagering game at the input device of the gaming unit;    subtracting the amount of the player's instant win game wager from the player's available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player's instant win game wager; and    selecting the outcome for the instant win game in response to receiving the input for the player's instant win game wager.    
   
   
       7 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the multi-player wagering game pays out awards at a first payout rate and the instant win game pays out awards at a second payout rate that is greater than the first payout rate, wherein the net payout rate to players is greater than the first payout rate.  
   
   
       8 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 displaying the outcome for the player for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game at the gaming unit; and    displaying the outcome for the player for the instant win game at the gaming unit.    
   
   
       9 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 8 , comprising displaying the outcome of the multi-player wagering game as an outcome of a second wagering game at the gaming unit, wherein the displayed outcome of the second wagering game corresponds to the outcome of the multi-player wagering game.  
   
   
       10 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 8 , comprising displaying the outcome of the multi-player wagering game and the outcome of the instant win game as an outcome of a second wagering game at the gaming unit, wherein the displayed outcome of the second wagering game corresponds to the outcomes of the multi-player wagering game and the instant win game.  
   
   
       11 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the outcome of the multi-player wagering game is displayed in a first portion of the displayed outcome of the second wagering game and the outcome of the instant win game is displayed in a second portion of the outcome of the second wagering game.  
   
   
       12 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 adding at least a portion of the instant win game wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool; and    awarding at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool to the player if the selected outcome for the instant win game is a progressive jackpot-winning outcome.    
   
   
       13 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 12 , comprising awarding to the player an amount equal to the portion of the instant win game wagers added to the progressive jackpot pool multiplied by the number of instant win game outcomes remaining in the finite pool of outcomes if the progressive jackpot-winning outcome is the last available progressive jackpot-winning outcome in the finite pool of outcomes.  
   
   
       14 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game having a finite pool of outcomes, wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from the range of game indicia, and wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player's unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia comprising: 
 providing a currency-accepting mechanism at a gaming unit for receiving a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at the gaming unit;    providing an input device for receiving input for a player's wager on an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game at the gaming unit;    configuring the gaming unit to subtract the amount of the player's wager on the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game from the player's available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player's wager at the input device, wherein the player's available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit;    configuring the gaming unit to subtract an instant win game wager amount from one of the player's available credit and the credits subtracted from the player's available credit;    configuring the gaming unit to determine an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game; and    configuring the gaming unit to cause the selection of an outcome for the instant win game from the finite pool of outcomes.    
   
   
       15 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the instant win game wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.  
   
   
       16 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the instant win game wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player's wager for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game.  
   
   
       17 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , comprising: 
 configuring the gaming unit to compare the amount of the player's wager on the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game to a minimum wager amount; and    configuring the gaming unit to subtract the instant win game wager amount and to cause the selection of the outcome for the instant win game in response to the player's wager being greater than or equal to a minimum wager amount.    
   
   
       18 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game.  
   
   
       19 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , comprising: 
 configuring the gaming unit to receive input for a player's instant win game wager for the occurrence of the wagering game at the input device of the gaming unit;    configuring the gaming unit to subtract the amount of the player's instant win game wager from the player's available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player's instant win game wager; and    configuring the gaming unit to cause the selection of the outcome for the instant win game in response to receiving the input for the player's instant win game wager.    
   
   
       20 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the multi-player wagering game pays out awards at a first payout rate and the instant win game pays out awards at a second payout rate that is greater than the first payout rate, wherein the net payout rate to players is greater than the first payout rate.  
   
   
       21 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , comprising: 
 providing a display device at the gaming unit;    configuring the gaming unit to cause the display device to display the outcome for the player for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game; and    configuring the gaming unit to cause the display device to display the outcome for the player for the instant win game.    
   
   
       22 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , comprising: 
 providing a display device at the gaming unit;    configuring the gaming unit to cause the display device to display the outcome of the multi-player wagering game as an outcome of a second wagering game at the gaming unit, wherein the displayed outcome of the second wagering game corresponds to the outcome of the multi-player wagering game.    
   
   
       23 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , comprising: 
 providing a display device at the gaming unit;    configuring the gaming unit to cause the display device to display the outcome of the multi-player wagering game and the outcome of the instant win game as an outcome of a second wagering game at the gaming unit, wherein the displayed outcome of the second wagering game corresponds to the outcomes of the multi-player wagering game and the instant win game.    
   
   
       24 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the outcome of the multi-player wagering game is displayed in a first portion of the displayed outcome of the second wagering game and the outcome of the instant win game is displayed in a second portion of the outcome of the second wagering game.  
   
   
       25 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 14 , comprising: 
 configuring the gaming unit to cause at least a portion of the instant win game wager amount to be added to a progressive jackpot pool; and    configuring the gaming unit to cause at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool to be awarded to the player in response to determining that the selected outcome for the instant win game is a progressive jackpot-winning outcome.    
   
   
       26 . A method for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 25 , comprising configuring the gaming unit to cause the player to be awarded an amount equal to the portion of the instant win game wagers added to the progressive jackpot pool multiplied by the number of instant win game outcomes remaining in the finite pool of outcomes if the progressive jackpot-winning outcome is the last available progressive jackpot-winning outcome in the finite pool of outcomes.  
   
   
       27 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in a gaming network having a network computer and a plurality of gaming units, wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia by one of the network computer and a wagering game server of the gaming network, and wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player's unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia comprising: 
 an input device for inputting a plurality of input selections;    a gaming unit memory device;    a currency-accepting mechanism that is capable of allowing a player to deposit a medium of currency;    an output device;    a value-dispensing mechanism that is capable of dispensing value to the player;    a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to the input device, the gaming unit memory device, the currency-accepting mechanism, the output device, and the value-dispensing mechanism, 
 the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the currency-accepting mechanism to accept a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at the gaming unit,  
 the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the input device to receive input for a player's wager on an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game at the input device,  
 the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract the amount of the player's wager on the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game from the player's available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player's wager, wherein the player's available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit,  
 the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract an instant win game wager amount from one of the player's available credit and the credits subtracted from the player's available credit,  
 the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, and  
 the gaming unit controller being programmed to cause a device of the gaming network to select an outcome for the instant win game from the finite pool of outcomes.  
   
   
   
       28 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the instant win game wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.  
   
   
       29 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the instant win game wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player's wager amount for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game.  
   
   
       30 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein: 
 the gaming unit controller is programmed to compare the amount of the player's wager on the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game to a minimum wager amount; and    the gaming unit controller is programmed to subtract the instant win game wager amount and to cause the selection of the outcome for the instant win game in response to determining that the player's wager is greater than or equal to a minimum wager amount.    
   
   
       31 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 30 , wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game.  
   
   
       32 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein: 
 the gaming unit controller is programmed to allow the input device to receive input for a player's instant win game wager for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;    the gaming unit controller is programmed to subtract the amount of the player's instant win game wager from the player's available credit in response to receiving the input for the player's instant win game wager at the input device; and    the gaming unit controller is programmed to cause the selection of the outcome for the instant win game in response to receiving the input for the player's instant win game wager at the input device.    
   
   
       33 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the multi-player wagering game pays out awards at a first payout rate and the instant win game pays out awards at a second payout rate that is greater than the first payout rate, wherein the net payout rate to players is greater than the first payout rate.  
   
   
       34 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein: 
 the gaming unit controller is programmed to cause the output device to display the outcome for the player for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game; and    the gaming unit controller is programmed to cause the output device to display the outcome for the player for the instant win game.    
   
   
       35 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the gaming unit controller is programmed to cause the output device to display the outcome of the multi-player wagering game as an outcome of a second wagering game at the gaming unit, wherein the displayed outcome of the second wagering game corresponds to the outcome of the multi-player wagering game.  
   
   
       36 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the gaming unit controller is programmed to cause the output device to display the outcome of the multi-player wagering game and the outcome of the instant win game as an outcome of a second wagering game at the gaming unit, wherein the displayed outcome of the second wagering game corresponds to the outcomes of the multi-player wagering game and the instant win game.  
   
   
       37 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 36 , wherein the outcome of the multi-player wagering game is displayed in a first portion of the displayed outcome of the second wagering game and the outcome of the instant win game is displayed in a second portion of the outcome of the second wagering game.  
   
   
       38 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein: 
 the gaming unit controller is programmed to cause at least a portion of the instant win game wager amount to be added to a progressive jackpot pool; and    the gaming unit controller is configured to cause at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool to be awarded to the player in response to determining that the selected outcome for the instant win game is a progressive jackpot-winning outcome.    
   
   
       39 . A gaming unit for conducting a multi-player wagering game and an associated instant win game in accordance with  claim 38 , wherein the gaming unit controller is programmed to cause the player to be awarded an amount equal to the at least a portion of the instant win game wagers added to the progressive jackpot pool multiplied by the number of instant win game outcomes remaining in the finite pool of outcomes if the progressive jackpot-winning outcome is the last available progressive jackpot-winning outcome in the finite pool of outcomes.