Patent ID: 8753188
Filing Date: 2014-06-17
Classification: A63F,G07F

Abstract:
1. A method for providing a plurality of game awards for an occurrence of a multi-player wagering game wherein each of a plurality of players plays one of a plurality of different game arrays on one of a plurality of gaming machines, each of the plurality of game arrays having a unique combination of game indicia from a range of a plurality of different game indicia for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein a plurality of the range of the plurality of game indicia are randomly selected through a network computer on a network gaming controller as active game indicia during the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein said game controller is configured to execute the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game on the plurality of gaming machines and wherein at least one of the players wins the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game by matching a predetermined game-winning pattern of game indicia on the player's game array with the randomly selected active game indicia, the method comprising through execution of the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game by the network gaming controller: determining a plurality of the game awards that may be awarded to the players during the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game; dividing the game awards between at least two pay groups, wherein each pay group includes at least one of the game awards designated for awarding to winning players of a game award in said pay group; associating each pay group with a respective one of a plurality of primary predetermined patterns of active game indicia; after each random selection of an active game indicium during the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, determining whether one of the primary predetermined patterns of active game indicia is achieved on the game array of any player for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game; for each game array, if any, on which one of the primary predetermined patterns of active game indicia is achieved, enabling continued play on the gaming machine of the player playing said game array, said continued play providing the player an opportunity to achieve one or more of a plurality of different secondary predetermined patterns of active game indicia associated with the pay group of the achieved primary predetermined pattern of active game indicia; for each game array, if any, on which one of the primary predetermined patterns of active game indicia is not achieved, enabling continued play on the gaming machine of the player playing said game array, said continued play not providing the opportunity to achieve one or more of the plurality of different secondary predetermined patterns of active game indicia unless one of the primary predetermined patterns of active game indicia is achieved: and through execution by the gaming machines or the network gaming controller, associating at least two of the plurality of game awards within each pay group with the respective plurality of different secondary predetermined patterns of active game indicia, wherein one of the at least two game awards has a cash or a non-monetary value different than a cash or a non-monetary value of the remaining of the at least two game awards.