Gaming system and method of gaming

Abstract

A gaming system comprising: credit input mechanism configured for player interaction to receive a credit input in the form of a physical item representing a monetary value for establishing a credit balance; an ante bet selector configured to facilitate selection by a player of an ante bet amount, in accord with said credit balance; a display having a plurality of display position groups, each display position group comprising a plurality of display positions, and the display position groups defining a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, the number of rows defined by the display position groups being dependent on the ante bet amount selected by the player; a symbol selector configured to select a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols for display in the plurality of display position groups; an outcome evaluator configured to determine whether the displayed symbols define a winning outcome; and a prize allocator configured to allocate a prize when a winning outcome is displayed.

1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a credit input mechanism configured for player interaction to receive a credit input in the form of a physical item representing a monetary value for establishing a credit balance;   an ante bet selector configured to facilitate selection by a player of an ante bet amount, in accord with said credit balance;   a display having a plurality of display position groups, each display position group comprising a plurality of display positions, and the display position groups defining a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, the number of rows defined by the display position groups being dependent on the ante bet amount selected by the player;   a symbol selector configured to select a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols for display in the plurality of display position groups;   an outcome evaluator configured to determine whether the displayed symbols define a winning outcome; and   a prize allocator configured to allocate a prize when a winning outcome is displayed.   
     
     
         2 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each display position group is associated with a reel having a plurality of display positions, each reel defining a column of display position groups. 
     
     
         3 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ante bet selected determines the number of win lines that are used in the base game to determine win outcomes. 
     
     
         4 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the number of win lines increases with increasing ante bet amount. 
     
     
         5 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each ante bet selection corresponds to a different return to player (RTP) amount. 
     
     
         6 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a zero ante bet amount corresponds to three rows of display positions, a first ante bet amount corresponds to four rows of display positions, a second ante bet amount that is larger than the first ante bet amount corresponds to five rows of display positions, and a third ante bet amount that is larger than the second ante bet amount corresponds to five rows of display positions. 
     
     
         7 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is operable in base game mode or special game mode, wherein:
 in base game mode, the gaming system implements a base game with the number of rows defined by the display position groups dependent on the ante bet amount selected by the player; and   in special game mode wherein at least one feature game different to the base game is implemented.   
     
     
         8 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the gaming system is configured to commence special game mode when a trigger condition occurs. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the gaming system is configured to commence special game mode in response to player input, based on the amount or type of bet placed, or when a special game is purchased by a player. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the trigger condition is at least one of a display of a particular symbol, and a display of a defined symbol combination during a base game. 
     
     
         11 . A gaming system as claimed m  claim 7 , wherein the system includes a plurality of selectable feature games. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the system is configured to randomly select a feature game from the plurality of feature games when the trigger condition occurs. 
     
     
         13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the system is configured to select a feature game from the plurality of feature games based on the trigger condition. 
     
     
         14 . A method of playing a game on a gaming machine having a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity, a player interface, a display having a plurality of display position groups, each display position group comprising a plurality of display positions, and the display position groups defining a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and a game controller, the method comprising:
 establishing a credit balance via said credit input mechanism receiving a physical item;   facilitating, via the player interface, a selection of an ante bet amount in accord with said credit balance;   defining, via the game controller, the number of rows in the plurality of display position groups based on the ante bet amount selected;   selecting, via the game controller, a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols for display in the defined number of rows of display positions;   displaying at the defined number of rows of display positions the selected symbols;   determining, via the game controller, whether the displayed symbols define a winning outcome; and   allocating a prize when a winning outcome is displayed.   
     
     
         15 . A tangible computer readable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to operate in accordance with the gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 .