Bonus actuator attachment for gaming machines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bonus actuator attachment for a slot or gaming machine. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method of selectively triggering a first bonus triggering event, by way of a bonus actuator attachment, so as to make the player eligible to participate in a bonus game upon the happening of a second bonus triggering event. Actuation of the bonus actuator attachment is a first triggering event wherein the gaming machine recognizes that the player wishes to be eligible for a bonus round within the gaming machine. The first triggering event may also require that the player make an additional wager separate from any initial wager on the game wherein the additional wager is solely to make the player eligible for a second bonus triggering event and, ultimately, a bonus round of the gaming machine.

1 . A gaming machine comprising;
 a bonus actuator attachment wherein the bonus actuator attachment may be selectively activated by a player of the gaming machine so as to trigger a first bonus event, thereby making the player eligible for a bonus round.   
   
   
       2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the activation of the bonus actuator attachment requires an additional bonus wager to be made by the player. 
   
   
       3 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the bonus actuator attachment may be selected from the group consisting of a switch, a button, a lever, a dial and a knob. 
   
   
       4 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the bonus actuator attachment may be a touch sensitive component of a display on the gaming machine. 
   
   
       5 . The gaming machine of  claim 4  wherein the display may be comprised of a color display unit, a monochrome display, a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, light-emitting diode (LED), a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and an electroluminescent display. 
   
   
       6 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the bonus actuator attachment may be present on a panel of the gaming machine wherein the panel is along a front side of the gaming machine. 
   
   
       7 . A method for operating a gaming device comprising:
 entering an initial wager by a player;   triggering a first bonus event by selectively actuating a bonus actuator attachment;   playing the game of the gaming device thereby generating a random combination of characters;   evaluating the random combination of characters against a preset menu of winning combinations so as to determine the random combination of characters matches any of the preset menu of winning combinations;   evaluating the random combination for a second triggering event wherein the second triggering event requires the presence of a particular character in at least one specific location of the random combination and is dependent upon the occurrence of the first triggering event;   initiating a bonus round if the first triggering event and the second triggering event occurred; and   awarding a payout to the player based on any matches between the random combination and winning combinations and a bonus award earned if the bonus round was initiated   
   
   
       8 . A method of  claim 7  wherein the second triggering event is satisfied when the random combination matches one of a plurality of pre-set combinations characters. 
   
   
       9 . A method of  claim 7  wherein the first triggering event also requires a secondary wager to be made by the player. 
   
   
       10 . A method of  claim 7  wherein the bonus round is an additional game requiring the participation of the player. 
   
   
       11 . A method of  claim 7  wherein the bonus award earned is dependant upon the initial wager such that the bonus award is greater with a greater initial wager.