Gaming machine with player predictable volatility

Abstract

A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display. If a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. The gaming machine further comprises a selector applicable to a game feature where, upon a trigger condition occurring in a base game, a player is afforded an opportunity of predicting an outcome of the feature and, if the player's prediction is correct, a bonus is awarded to the player.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A gaming machine for play of a base game and one or more free games by a player, the gaming machine comprising:
 a player input;   a game controller operably connected to the player input, the game controller adapted to:   award, upon the occurrence of a trigger event in the base game, one or more free games;   display on a display a plurality of game play volatility options for play of the one or more free games, each of the plurality of game play volatility options having a winning criterion and a bonus award, each of the winning criterion for the plurality of game play volatility options having a different probability of the winning criterion being satisfied, and wherein the bonus award for each of the plurality of game play volatility options increases as the probability of satisfying the winning criterion decreases; and   receive, from operation of the player input, a selection of a game play volatility from the plurality of a game volatility options to be played during the one or more free games.   
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine of  claim 2 , wherein the game controller is further adapted to award the bonus award when the winning criterion for the selected game play volatility is satisfied. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein the winning criteria for the plurality of game play volatility options are a minimum number of bonus symbols that will be displayed on the display during play of the one or more free games, and wherein the minimum number of bonus symbols is different for each of the winning criterion. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine of  claim 4 , wherein the game controller is adapted to display on the display a bonus symbol meter during play of the one or more free games that indicates the number of bonus symbols that have appeared on the display during play of the one or more free games. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine of  claim 4 , wherein the minimum number of bonus symbols are selected from a plurality of bonus symbols having at least two different symbol types, each of the at least two different types having a base award that is different than the base award for the other symbols of the at least two symbol types. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine of  claim 2 , wherein the bonus award for the selected game play volatility is the product of a base award multiplied by an amount wagered in the base game. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming machine of  claim 7 , wherein the player input is a touch screen implemented device for enabling the player to select the selected game play volatility. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming machine for play of a base game and one or more free games by a player, the gaming machine comprising:
 a player input;   a game controller operably connected to the player input, the game controller adapted to:   receive an indication that a wager has been placed for play of the base game;   display on a display a plurality of symbols associated with the play of the base game;   award, upon the occurrence of a trigger event in the base game, one or more free games;   display on the display a plurality of game play volatility options for play of the one or more free games, each of the plurality of game play volatility options having a winning criterion and a bonus award, each of the winning criteria having a separate and different probability of being satisfied during play of the one or more free games, the value of the bonus award for each of the plurality of game play volatility options being related to the probability of the winning criteria being satisfied.   
     
     
         10 . The gaming machine of  claim 9 , wherein the game controller is further adapted to receive, from operation of the player input, a selection of a game play volatility from the plurality of game volatility options to be played during the one or more free games. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming machine of  claim 10 , wherein the game controller is further adapted to award the bonus award when the winning criterion for the selected game play volatility is satisfied. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming machine of  claim 11 , wherein the winning criteria for the plurality of game play volatility options are a minimum number of bonus symbols that will be displayed on the display during play of the one or more free games, and wherein the minimum number of bonus symbols is different for each of the winning criterion. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming machine of  claim 12 , wherein the game controller is adapted to display on the display a bonus symbol meter during play of the one or more free games that indicates the number of bonus symbols that have appeared on the display during play of the one or more free games. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming machine of  claim 12 , wherein the minimum number of bonus symbols are selected from a plurality of bonus symbols having at least two different symbol types, each of the at least two different types having a base award that is different than the base award for the other symbols of the at least two symbol types. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming machine of  claim 9 , wherein the bonus award for the selected game play volatility is the product of a base award multiplied by an amount wagered in the base game. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming machine of  claim 15 , wherein the player input is a touch screen implemented device for enabling the player to select the selected game play volatility. 
     
     
         17 . A gaming machine for play of a base game and one or more free games by a player, the gaming machine comprising:
 a player input;   a game controller operably connected to the player input, the game controller adapted to:   award, upon the occurrence of a trigger event in the base game, one or more free games;   display on a display a plurality of game play volatility options for play of the one or more free games, each of the plurality of game play volatility options having a different minimum credit amount that is to be won during play of the one or more free games before being awarded a bonus award, wherein an amount of the bonus award for each of the plurality of game play volatility options increases as the minimum credit amount increases; and   receive, from operation of the player input, a selection of a game play volatility from the plurality of a game volatility options to be played during the one or more free games.   
     
     
         18 . The gaming machine of  claim 17 , wherein the game controller is further adapted to award the bonus award when the minimum credit amount for the selected game play volatility is satisfied. 
     
     
         19 . The gaming machine of  claim 18 , wherein the bonus award for the selected game play volatility is the product of a base award multiplied by an amount wagered in the base game. 
     
     
         20 . The gaming machine of  claim 17 , wherein the player input is a touch screen implemented device for enabling the player to select the selected game play volatility. 
     
     
         21 . The gaming machine of  claim 17 , wherein the player input is a plurality of buttons on a keypad.