System, Apparatus, and Method for Facilitating Guaranteed Number of Wins Events in Conjunction with a Gaming Activity

Abstract

A primary gaming activity is provided to a player via a gaming machine that involves engaging the player in a plurality of play events. A win threshold involves a number or quantity of winning events of the plurality of play events. The player continues to be engaged in the plurality of play events at least until the player experiences a number of the winning events that satisfies the win threshold.

1 . A method of providing a gaming experience to a player, comprising:
 providing a primary gaming activity to a player via a gaming machine that involves engaging the player in a plurality of play events;   defining a win threshold as a predetermined number of winning events of the plurality of play events; and   continuing to engage the player in the plurality of play events at least until the player experiences a number of the winning events that satisfies the win threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of play events are bonus play events resulting from the primary gaming activity entering a bonus state. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein satisfying the win threshold comprises a) the player experiencing the number of winning events that satisfies the win threshold and b) the player experiencing a total number of the play events that satisfies a predetermined limit on play events, regardless of the event outcome of the play events. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the winning events comprise a first and a second classification of winning events, and wherein satisfying the win threshold comprises the player experiencing a predetermined combination of quantities of the first and second classifications of winning events. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein defining the win threshold as the predetermined number of winning events of the plurality of play events comprises defining the win threshold as a predetermined number of consecutive winning events of the plurality of play events. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein satisfying the win threshold comprises a) the player experiencing the number of winning events that satisfies the win threshold and b) the player experiencing a total number of the play events that satisfies a predetermined limit on play events, regardless of the event outcome of the play events. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the winning events comprise a first and a second classification of winning events, and wherein satisfying the win threshold comprises the player experiencing a predetermined combination of quantities of the first and second classifications of winning events. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining the win threshold as the predetermined number of winning events of the plurality of play events comprises defining the win threshold as a predetermined number of consecutive winning events of the plurality of play events. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a progress indicator in conjunction with continuing to engage the player in the plurality of play events at least until the player experiences the number of the winning events that satisfies the win threshold, wherein the progress indicator is updated upon each of the winning events to indicate the number of winning events needed to satisfy the win threshold. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling the continuing of the player engagement in the plurality of play events in response to an occurrence of a random event. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein enabling the continuing of the player engagement in the plurality of play events in response to an occurrence of a random event comprises enabling the continuing of the player engagement in the plurality of play events in response to a mystery bonus which occurs randomly and without particular correlation to symbols presented in connection with the primary gaming activity. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling the continuing of the player engagement in the plurality of play events in response to an occurrence of one or more particular symbols presented in connection with the primary gaming activity. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling the continuing of the player engagement in the plurality of play events in response to an occurrence of one or more particular symbol combinations presented in connection with the primary gaming activity. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein continuing to engage the player in the plurality of play events at least until the player experiences the number of the winning events that satisfies the win threshold comprises enabling the player to engage in the plurality of play events without requiring the player to make additional wagers. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a wager and initiating the primary gaming activity in response to the wager; and   enabling the continuing of the player engagement in the plurality of play events without requiring receipt of additional wagers during participation of the plurality of the play events.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising receiving another wager to initiate a subsequent primary gaming activity after reaching the number of winning events that satisfied the win threshold. 
     
     
         17 . A casino gaming apparatus, comprising:
 a processor;   a human input and output coupled to the processor;   a primary gaming module that causes the processor to provide player access to a primary gaming activity via the human input and output, and to relinquish play control upon the happening of a predetermined primary play state;   a bonus module that causes the processor to,
 assume play control from the primary gaming module upon the happening of the predetermined primary play state, wherein play control includes providing player access to bonus game events via the human input and output; 
 defining a win threshold as a predetermined number of the bonus game events that have a winning outcome; and 
 relinquish play control to the primary gaming module when the win threshold is satisfied. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the bonus module further causes the processor to define the win threshold as a) the player experiencing the number of winning events that satisfies the win threshold, and b) the player experiencing a total number of the bonus game events that satisfies a predetermined limit on bonus events, regardless of the event outcome of the bonus game events. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the bonus module further causes the processor to place the bonus game events that have a winning outcome into a first and a second classification, and wherein play control is relinquished when a predetermined combination of quantities of the first and second classifications of winning events satisfies the win threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein defining the win threshold as the predetermined number of the bonus game events that have the winning outcome comprises defining the win threshold as a predetermined number of consecutive bonus game events that have the winning outcome. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the bonus module further causes the processor to displaying a progress indicator via the human input and output in conjunction with providing player access to the bonus game events, wherein the progress indicator is updated upon the occurrence of each of the bonus game events that have a winning outcome to indicate the number of winning bonus events needed to satisfy the win threshold. 
     
     
         22 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon and executable by a processing system for performing steps comprising:
 providing a primary gaming activity to a player via a gaming machine that involves engaging the player in a plurality of play events;   defining a win threshold as a predetermined number of winning events of the plurality of play events; and   continuing to engage the player in the plurality of play events at least until the player experiences a number of the winning events that satisfies the win threshold.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of play events are bonus play events resulting from the primary gaming activity entering a bonus state. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein satisfying the win threshold comprises a) the player experiencing the number of winning events that satisfies the win threshold, and b) the player experiencing a total number of the play events that satisfies a predetermined limit on play events, regardless of the event outcome of the play events. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the winning events comprise a first and a second classification of winning events, and wherein satisfying the win threshold comprises the player experiencing a predetermined combination of quantities of the first and second classifications of winning events. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein defining the win threshold as the predetermined number of winning events of the plurality of play events comprises  defining the win threshold as a predetermined number of consecutive winning events of the plurality of play events. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , further comprising displaying a progress indicator in conjunction with continuing to engage the player in the plurality of play events at least until the player experiences the number of the winning events that satisfies the win threshold, wherein the progress indicator is updated upon each of the winning events to indicate the number of winning events needed to satisfy the win threshold. 
     
     
         28 . A system comprising:
 means for providing a primary gaming activity to a player via a gaming machine that involves engaging the player in a plurality of play events;   means for defining a win threshold as a predetermined number of winning events of the plurality of play events; and   means for continuing to engage the player in the plurality of play events at least until the player experiences a number of the winning events that satisfies the win threshold.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising means for providing a bonus gaming activity triggered via the primary gaming activity, and wherein the plurality of play events comprise bonus play events of the bonus gaming activity.