Multiple outcome display for gaming devices

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a display of multiple game outcomes that may be won by a player on a gaming device. In one embodiment, a gaming device includes a player interface panel having at least one game input device, a game output display to show the result of a gaming event wagered upon by a player at the gaming device, a multiple outcome display configured to display possible outcomes of the gaming event, and a selection mechanism operable by the player to identify a game event outcome from the displayed multiple outcomes.

1 . A gaming device comprising:
 a player interface panel having at least one game input device;   a game output display to show a result of a gaming event wagered upon by a player at the gaming device;   a multiple outcome display configured to show possible outcomes of the gaming event; and   a selection mechanism operable by the player to identify a game event outcome from the displayed multiple outcomes, the identified game event outcome shown on the game output display.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple outcome display is configured to scroll the possible outcomes of the gaming event. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the selection mechanism is a button on the player interface panel. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple outcome display further includes an award window configured to highlight the game event outcome from other outcomes of the possible outcomes displayed. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming device of  claim 4 , wherein the possible outcomes displayed on the multiple outcome display have numerical values. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming device of  claim 4 , wherein the possible outcomes displayed on the multiple outcome display are symbols representative of the symbolic result shown on the game output display. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming device of  claim 4 , wherein the award window is positioned at a substantially central portion of the multiple outcome display. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming device of  claim 4 , wherein the award window is positioned at an end portion of the multiple outcome display. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming device of  claim 4 , wherein the possible outcomes displayed on the multiple outcome display are arranged in a substantially vertical format and configured to scroll in a plurality of positional columns within the multiple outcome display. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming device of  claim 9 , wherein the award window is configured to move substantially horizontally across the plurality of positional columns within the multiple outcome display. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising a timer portion configured to automatically identify a game event outcome from the displayed multiple outcomes if a timer end point is reached. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein the amount of time to reach the timer end point is determined based on whether the player has been identified to the gaming device. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising a nudge feature configured to allow a player to nudge the displayed multiple outcomes to replace the identified game event outcome with a game event outcome adjacent to the identified game event outcome. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming device of  claim 13 , wherein an availability of the nudge feature is determined based on whether the player has been identified to the gaming device. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein an availability of the nudge feature is determined based on whether the player has placed an additional side bet on the gaming device. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a gaming device comprising:
 receiving a wager from a player on the gaming device;   activating a game initiating button;   thereafter, scrolling multiple possible outcomes on a game display;   determining if a stop action event has occurred;   determining an outcome;   displaying the outcome on the game display; and   awarding a prize associated with the outcome.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 starting a timer after the game initiating button is selected by the player;   determining if the timer has reached an end point contemporaneously with determining if a stop action event has occurred; and   determining an outcome after the end point of the timer has been reached if a stop action event has not occurred.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising spinning game reels on a game output display after the game initiating button is selected by the player. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising stopping the game reels on the game output display after the outcome has been determined. 
     
     
         20 . A method of operating a gaming device comprising:
 receiving a wager from a player on the gaming device;   activating a game initiating button;   determining if the game initiating button is selected by the player;   thereafter, scrolling multiple possible outcomes on a game display;   determining if a stop action event has occurred;   determining an initial outcome after the stop action event has occurred;   displaying the initial outcome on the game display;   determining if a nudge feature is enabled; and   determining if a previous outcome is nudged to or a next outcome is nudged to.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising awarding a prize associated with the initial outcome if the nudge feature in not enabled. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 displaying the previous outcome on the game display if the previous outcome is nudged to; and   awarding a prize associated with the previous outcome.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 displaying the next outcome on the game display if the next outcome is nudged to; and   awarding a prize associated with the next outcome.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising awarding a prize associated with the initial outcome if the previous outcome is not nudged to and the next outcome is not nudged to. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 starting a timer after the game initiating button is selected by the player;   determining if the timer has reached an end point contemporaneously with determining if a stop action event has occurred; and   determining an initial outcome after the end point of the timer has been reached if a stop action event has not occurred.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 starting a timer after a determination that the nudge feature is enabled;   determining if the timer has reached an end point contemporaneously with determining if a previous outcome is nudged to or if a next outcome is nudged to; and   awarding a prize associated with the initial outcome after the end point of the timer has been reached if the previous outcome is not nudged to and the next outcome is not nudged to.   
     
     
         27 . A method of operating a gaming device comprising:
 receiving a wager placed by a player on a gaming event controlled by the gaming device;   receiving a first player input to initiate the gaming event;   scrolling a plurality of possible outcomes on a game display in response to the first player input; and   receiving a second player input to end the gaming event, wherein at least one of the plurality of possible outcomes is identified as a game event outcome.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising awarding the identified game event outcome to the player. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising offering the player a nudge option to replace the identified game event outcome with a game event outcome adjacent to the identified game event outcome in the displayed plurality of possible outcomes. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein at least one of the event outcomes adjacent to the identified game event outcome is not visible to the player. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the nudge option is offered in response to a side bet placed by the player. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the nudge option is offered in response to a gaming promotion. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the outcome is determined after the stop action event has occurred.