Wagering game, gaming machine, gaming network, and methods including a dynamic wheel

Abstract

A wagering game, gaming machine, gaming network, and associated methods are disclosed including a dynamic wheel wherein a wheel game includes re-programming the wheel display and associated awards during successive plays. The dynamic wheel may be displayed in a wheel display area of a flat panel display device. The wheel display area along with other display areas may be defined by a bezel positioned over the display surface of the flat panel display device.

1 . A gaming machine including:
 a wheel display apparatus comprising a flat panel display device and a bezel structure overlaying the flat panel display device, the bezel structure overlaying the flat panel display device such that a wheel display area and a paytable display area of the flat panel display device are visible through openings or transparent areas of the bezel structure; and   one or more processors configured to (i) instruct the flat panel display device to display a wheel and indicator within the wheel display area and to display a paytable within the paytable display area, the wheel including two or more segments, at least one segment associated with a value, (ii) randomly or pseudo-randomly determine a wheel game outcome, (iii) instruct the flat panel display device to display a wheel game presentation wherein the wheel and the indicator appear to spin relative to each other until coming to rest to display the wheel game outcome, and (iv) present an award in accordance with the wheel game outcome.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the one or more processors instruct the flat panel display device to cause the wheel to appear to spin relative to the indicator in the wheel game presentation. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the one or more processors instruct the flat panel display device to cause the indicator to appear to spin relative to the wheel in the wheel game presentation. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the one or more processors instruct the flat panel display device to cause both the wheel and the indicator to appear to spin in the wheel game presentation. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  further including a primary display device and wherein the one or more processors are also configured to randomly or pseudo-randomly determine a primary game outcome from a set of possible primary game outcomes including at least one primary game outcome triggering the wheel game, the primary game outcome being displayed through the primary display device under control of the one or more processors. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  further including a primary display device and wherein the one or more processors determine the wheel game outcome from an overall outcome for a play at the gaming machine and wherein the one or more processors are also configured to instruct the primary game display device to display a primary game outcome also determined from the overall outcome. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the wheel includes multiple wheel segments and the one or more processors are also configured to modify one or more of the wheel segments after instructing the flat panel display device to display the game presentation. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein one of the first wheel segment and the second wheel segment is associated with a first level progressive award and the other one of the first wheel segment and the second wheel segment is not associated with a progressive award. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming machine including:
 a wheel display apparatus;   one or more memory devices storing wagering game program code; and   one or more processors configured to execute the wagering game program code to (i) instruct the wheel display apparatus to display a first wheel event in which a first wheel segment is identified from two or more wheel segments of a wheel displayed through the wheel display apparatus, one or more of the wheel segments of the wheel being respectively associated with one or more awards, to (ii) instruct the wheel display apparatus to modify one or more of the one or more wheel segments of the wheel following the first wheel event to produce a modified wheel with two or more wheel segments, (iii) instruct the wheel display apparatus to display a second wheel event in which a second wheel segment is identified from two or more wheel segments of the modified wheel, and to (iv) present any award associated with the first wheel segment or any award associated with the second wheel segment, or to present any award associated with the first wheel segment and any award associated with the second wheel segment.   
     
     
         10 . The gaming machine of  claim 9  wherein the wagering game program code includes primary game program code and further including:
 a user interface operable to receive a player input and transmit a request to initiate a primary game; 
 a primary display apparatus operable to present the primary game in accordance with one or more instructions from the one or more processors executing the primary game program code; and 
 a meter operable to display an award associated with any winning outcomes in the primary game. 
 
     
     
         11 . The gaming machine of  claim 10  wherein the one or more processors execute the primary game program code to display the first wheel event in response to a triggering event in the primary game. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming machine of  claim 11  wherein the appearance of a special symbol on the primary display apparatus during the primary game represents the triggering event. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming machine of  claim 9  wherein a triggering event to initiate the first wheel event is produced by a random or pseudo-random determination by the one or more processors. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming machine of  claim 9  wherein one of the first wheel segment and the second wheel segment is associated with a first level progressive award and the other one of the first wheel segment and the second wheel segment is not associated with a progressive award. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operating a gaming machine, the method including:
 receiving a wager at a gaming machine and initiating a play at the gaming machine;   in the play at the gaming machine, displaying a wheel on a wheel display device at the gaming machine, the wheel including two or more wheel segments;   displaying a first wheel event in which a first wheel segment is identified from the two or more wheel segments of the wheel;   following the first wheel event, displaying a modification of one or more of the wheel segments to display a modified wheel on the wheel display device, the modified wheel including two or more wheel segments;   displaying a second wheel event in which a second wheel segment is identified from the two or more segments of the modified wheel; and   presenting an award associated with at least one of the first wheel segment or the second wheel segment.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein displaying the wheel and the modified wheel on the wheel display device includes displaying the wheel and the modified wheel in a wheel display area of the wheel display device, the wheel display area being defined by a bezel positioned over a planar surface of the wheel display device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further including displaying a paytable within a paytable display area of the wheel display device at the gaming machine, the paytable being defined by the bezel positioned over the planar surface of the wheel display device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first wheel event is displayed in response to the wager received at the gaming machine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further including:
 displaying a primary game presentation on a primary game presentation display device; and 
 presenting an award associated with an outcome of the primary game presentation. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the first wheel event is displayed in response to the occurrence of a trigger associated with the primary game presentation.