Gaming system having a plurality of gaming machines linked by network and control method thereof

Abstract

According to a gaming system of the present invention, game media are paid out based on a cumulative value, when a first payout condition has been established in which the cumulative value reaches a predetermined value or when a second payout condition has been established which is different from the first payout condition. Moreover, based on information about bets, the gaming machine is determined in which game media are to be paid out based on the cumulative value when the second payout condition has been established.

1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of gaming machines each including an input device and a controller;   a control device including a processor; and   a network enabling communication between said plurality of gaming machines and said control device,   wherein said controller is programmed to execute the processing of:   (a) accepting from said input device an input indicating a placement of a bet of a game medium; and   (b) transmitting number-of-game-media information indicative of the number of game media betted in said processing (a), to said processor, and   said processor is programmed to execute the processing of   (A) cumulatively counting a part of the number of betted game media, as a cumulative value, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b);   (B) selecting one or a plurality of gaming machines out of the gaming machines connected through said network, when a first payout condition has been established in which said cumulative value reaches a predetermined value;   (C) selecting one or a plurality of gaming machines, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b) or on other information about bets, when a second payout condition has been established which is different from said first payout condition; and   (D) paying out game media to the gaming machine selected in said processing (B) or said processing (C), based on said cumulative value.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein   said processor is further programmed to execute the processing of   (E) cumulatively counting, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b), the number of betted game media for each of the gaming machines that have transmitted the number-of-game-media information, and   said processing (C) is the processing of   selecting one or a plurality of gaming machines, based on the number of game media cumulatively counted in said processing (E), when said second payout condition has been established.   
     
     
         3 . The gaming system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein   said processing (A) includes   cumulatively counting a part of the number of betted game media, as a first cumulative value, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b), and cumulatively counting another part of the number of betted game media, as a second cumulative value, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b);   said processing (B) includes   selecting one or a plurality of gaming machines out of the gaming machines connected through said network, when a first payout condition has been established in which said first cumulative value reaches a predetermined value; and   said processing (D) includes   paying out game media, based on said first cumulative value, to the gaming machine selected in said processing (B), and paying out game media, based on said second cumulative value, to the gaming machine selected in said processing (C).   
     
     
         4 . A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of gaming machines each including an input device and a controller;   a control device including a processor; and   a network enabling communication between said plurality of gaming machines and said control device,   wherein   said controller is programmed to execute the processing of:   (a) accepting from said input device an input indicating a placement of a bet of a game medium; and   (b) transmitting number-of-game-media information indicative of the number of game media betted in said processing (a), to said processor; and   said processor is programmed to execute the processing of:   (A) cumulatively counting a part of the number of betted game media, as a cumulative value, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b);   (B) determining one or a plurality of gaming machines out of the gaming machines connected through said network, as a winning machine, when a predetermined payout condition has been established;   (C) determining one or a plurality of gaming machines as a substitute winning machine, based on bets inputted from said respective input devices after establishment of said predetermined payout condition; and   (D) paying out game media to the gaming machine determined as the winning machine in said processing (B) and the gaming machine determined as the substitute winning machine in said processing (C), based on said cumulative value.   
     
     
         5 . The gaming system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein   said gaming machine or said control device includes a storage device capable of storing a first notification data for notifying that said predetermined payout condition has been established, and/or a second notification data for notifying that game media are to be paid out, based on said cumulative value, to the gaming machine determined as the substitute winning machine based on bets inputted from respective said input devices after establishment of said predetermined payout condition;   each of said gaming machines includes   an output device capable of performing output based on said first notification data and/or said second notification data; and   said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of   (c) providing a notification through said output device, based on said first notification data and/or said second notification data, when said predetermined payout condition has been established, said notification being a notification that said predetermined payout condition has been established, and/or a notification that game media are to be paid out, based on said cumulative value, to the gaming machine determined as a substitute winning machine based on bets inputted from said respective input devices after establishment of said predetermined payout condition.   
     
     
         6 . The gaming system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein   said control device includes   a storage device capable of storing a first notification data for notifying that said predetermined payout condition has been established, and/or a second notification data for notifying that game media are to be paid out, based on said cumulative value, to the gaming machine determined as the substitute winning machine based on bets inputted from respective said input devices after establishment of said predetermined payout condition;   said gaming system includes   an output device capable of performing output based on said first notification data and/or said second notification data; and   said processor is further programmed to execute the processing of   (E) providing a notification through said output device, based on said first notification data and/or said second notification data, when said predetermined payout condition has been established, said notification being a notification that said predetermined payout condition has been established, and/or a notification that game media are to be paid out, based on said cumulative value, to the gaming machine determined as a substitute winning machine based on bets inputted from said respective input devices after establishment of said predetermined payout condition.   
     
     
         7 . The gaming system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein   said gaming machine or said control device includes   a storage device capable of storing a third notification data for notifying of the gaming machine determined as said winning machine;   each of said gaming machines includes   an output device capable of performing an output based on said third notification data;   said processor is further programmed to execute the processing of   (F) transmitting winning machine information to said controller indicative of the gaming machine determined as the winning machine in said processing (B);   said controller is programmed to execute the processing of   (d) notifying of the gaming machine determined as the winning machine in said processing (B), through said output device, based on said third notification data and the winning machine information transmitted in said processing (F); and   said processing (C) includes   determining one or a plurality of gaming machines as the substitute winning machine, based on bets inputted from said respective input devices after notification of the gaming machine determined as the winning machine in said processing (d).   
     
     
         8 . The gaming system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein   said control device includes   a storage device capable of storing a third notification data for notifying of the gaming machine determined as said winning machine;   said gaming system includes   an output device capable of performing an output based on said third notification data;   said processor is further programmed to execute the processing of   (G) notifying of the gaming machine determined as the winning machine in said processing (B), through said output device, based on said third notification data stored in said storage device and winning machine information indicative of the gaming machine determined as the winning machine in said processing (B); and   said processing (C) includes   determining one or a plurality of gaming machines as the substitute winning machine, based on bets inputted from said respective input devices after notification of the gaming machine determined as the winning machine in said processing (G).   
     
     
         9 . A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of gaming machines each including an input device and a controller;   a control device including a processor; and   a network enabling communication between said plurality of gaming machines and said control device,   wherein   said controller is programmed to execute the processing of:   (a) accepting from said input device an input indicating a placement of a bet of a game medium; and   (b) transmitting number-of-game-media information indicative of the number of game media betted in said processing (a), to said processor, and   said processor is programmed to execute the processing of:   (A) cumulatively counting a part of the number of betted game media, as a cumulative value, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b);   (B) selecting one or a plurality of specific gaming machines out of said plurality of gaming machines, based on a normal probability set for each of said gaming machines, when a predetermined payout condition has been established;   (C) selecting one or a plurality of specific gaming machines out of said plurality of gaming machines, based on a special probability different from said normal probability, when said predetermined payout condition has been established during a predetermined period after establishment of a predetermined probability-change condition; and   (D) paying out game media to the gaming machine selected in said processing (B) or said processing (C), based on said cumulative value.   
     
     
         10 . The gaming system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein   said processing (C) includes   selecting one or a plurality of specific gaming machines out of said plurality of gaming machines, based on the special probability different from said normal probability, when said predetermined payout condition has been established during a period corresponding to the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b) after establishment of the predetermined probability-change condition.   
     
     
         11 . The gaming system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein   said processing (C) includes   selecting one or a plurality of specific gaming machines out of said plurality of gaming machines, based on the special probability that is specified by the number-of-game-media information transmitted in said processing (b), when said predetermined payout condition has been established during the predetermined period after establishment of the predetermined probability-change condition.   
     
     
         12 . The gaming system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein   said gaming machine is a slot machine including a symbol display to which a plurality of symbols can be displayed;   said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of   (c) variably displaying said plurality of symbols to said symbol display after game media have been betted in said processing (a), and then stop-displaying the symbols such that a probability of stop-displaying the symbols in a predetermined stop mode becomes a normal probability, and   (d) variably displaying said plurality of symbols to said symbol display after game media have been betted in said processing (a) during a predetermined period which comes after establishment of a predetermined probability-change condition, and then stop-displaying the symbols such that the probability of stop-displaying the symbols in said predetermined stop mode becomes a special probability different from said normal probability;   said predetermined payout condition is a condition that the symbols stop-displayed in said processing (c) or said processing (d) are in the predetermined stop mode;   said processing (B) includes   selecting any of the slot machines having the symbols stop-displayed in the predetermined stop mode to the symbol display, as the specific slot machine, when the symbols stop-displayed in said processing (c) are in the predetermined stop mode;   said processing (C) includes   selecting any of the slot machines having the symbols stop-displayed in the predetermined stop mode to the symbol display, as the specific slot machine, when the symbols stop-displayed in said processing (d) are in the predetermined stop mode; and   said processing (D) includes   paying out game media to the slot machine selected in said processing (B) or said processing (C), based on said cumulative value.   
     
     
         13 . A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of gaming machines each including an input device and a controller;   a control device including a processor; and   a network enabling communication between said plurality of gaming machines and said control device,   wherein   said controller is programmed to execute the processing of:   (a) accepting from said input device, an input showing a bet of a game medium; and   (b) transmitting to said processor, number-of-game-media information indicative of the number of game media betted in said processing (a), and   said processor is programmed to execute the processing of:   (A) cumulatively counting, as a cumulative value, a part of the number of betted game media based on said number-of-game-media information transmitted through said processing (b);   (B) selecting a single specific gaming machine or a plurality of specific gaming machines out of said plurality of gaming machines, when a predetermined payout condition is established; and   (C) paying out, to the gaming machine selected in said processing (B), game media of a determined number of payouts, the number of payouts determined based on said cumulative value and a payout ratio set for the selected gaming machine.   
     
     
         14 . The gaming system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein   said gaming machines or said control device includes a storage device capable of storing notification data for notifying said number of payouts,   each of said gaming machines includes   an output device capable of conducting an output based on said notification data, and   said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of:   (c) notifying, by using said output device, said number of payouts in the gaming machine including the controller, based on data corresponding to said cumulative value and said notification data.   
     
     
         15 . The gaming system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein   said control device includes   a storage device capable of storing notification data for notifying said number of payouts,   said gaming system includes   an output device capable of conducting an output based on said notification data, and   said processor is further programmed to execute the processing of:   (D) notifying, by using said output device, said number of payouts in each of said gaming machines, based on cumulative-value data indicative of said cumulative value and notification data stored in said storage device.   
     
     
         16 . The gaming system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein   said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of   (c) determining a game result such that a probability that the game result satisfies a predetermined payout condition has a condition establishment probability set for the gaming machine including the controller;   said processing (B) includes   selecting the gaming machine with the game result satisfying said predetermined payout condition, as the specific gaming machine, when the game result determined in said processing (c) satisfies said predetermined payout condition; and   said processing (C) includes   paying out game media to the gaming machine with the game result, determined in said processing (c), satisfying said predetermined payout condition, the number of the game media to be paid out being equal to the number of payouts determined based on said cumulative value and a payout ratio corresponding to the condition establishment probability set for that gaming machine.   
     
     
         17 . A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of gaming machines each including an input device and a controller;   a control device including a processor; and   a network enabling communication between said plurality of gaming machines and said control device,   wherein   said plurality of gaming machines includes   a plurality of types of gaming machines each having a condition establishment probability different from one another, said condition establishment probability referring to a probability that a game result determined for each gaming machine satisfies a predetermined individual payout condition,   said controller is programmed to execute the processing of:   (a) accepting from said input device, an input showing a bet of a game medium;   (b) transmitting to said processor, number-of-game-media information indicative of the number of game media betted in said processing (a); and   (c) determining a game result such that said condition establishment probability has a probability corresponding to the type of the gaming machine including the controller, and   said processor is programmed to execute the processing of:   (A) cumulatively counting, as an individual cumulative value, a part of the number of betted game media, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted through said processing (b), the calculation executed for each type of the gaming machine acting as a transmission source of the number-of-game-media information; and   (B) paying out game media, when the game result determined in said processing (c) satisfies said predetermined individual payout condition, based on said individual cumulative value corresponding to the type of the gaming machine having satisfied said predetermined individual payout condition in its game result, to the gaming machine having satisfied said predetermined individual payout condition.   
     
     
         18 . The gaming system according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein   said processing (A) includes   cumulatively counting, as an individual cumulative value, not only a part of the number of betted game media, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted through said processing (b), the calculation executed for each type of the gaming machine acting as a transmission source of the number-of-game-media information, but also an other part of the number of betted game media as a common cumulative value independently of the type of the gaming machine as a transmission source of the number-of-game-media information;   said processor is further programmed to execute the processing of   (C) paying out game media based on said common cumulative value to a single specific gaming machine or a plurality of specific gaming machines selected out of said plurality of gaming machines, when a predetermined common payout condition different from said predetermined individual payout condition is established.   
     
     
         19 . The gaming system according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein   said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of:   (d) paying out game media in number determined based on the game result determined in said processing (c),   said processing (A) includes   cumulatively counting, as an individual cumulative value, not only a part of the number of betted game media, based on the number-of-game-media information transmitted through said processing (b), the calculation executed for each type of the gaming machine acting as a transmission source of the number-of-game-media information, but also an other part of the number of betted game media as a common cumulative value independently of the type of the gaming machine as a transmission source of the number-of-game-media information, and   said processor is further programmed to execute the processing of   (C) paying out game media, when a balance number calculated for each gaming machine indicative of the balance between the number of game media betted in said processing (a) and the number of game media paid out in said processing (d) has reached a predetermined value in any gaming machine, to the gaming machine in which said balance number has reached the predetermined value, based on said common cumulative value.