Progressive gaming system and method having fractional awards

• US 20030181231A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Progressive Gaming International Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Vancura, Olaf, Lewis, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,297,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A method for paying a progressive jackpot in a wide area progressive system having a progressive controller linked to groups of gaming terminals. Each gaming terminal using software determines, based upon at least the broadcast current progressive jackpot amount and the received wager, at least one fractional portion of the broadcast current progressive jackpot amount that may be won by the player when a progressive event occurs in play of the casino game of chance at the gaming terminal. The fractional progressive jackpot amount is delivered from the gaming terminal back to the progressive controller where it is deducted before the next current progressive jackpot amount is broadcast.

Claims

1. A method for paying a progressive jackpot in a system having a progressive controller linked to a plurality of gaming terminals, the method comprising:

broadcasting a current progressive jackpot amount from the progressive controller into the system;

receiving a wager for play of a casino game of chance from a player at one of the plurality gaming terminals;

determining, at the aforesaid one gaming terminal receiving the wager, based upon at least said broadcast current progressive jackpot amount and said received wager, at least one fractional progressive jackpot amount that is won by the player when a progressive event occurs in the casino game of chance;

when the progressive event occurs, delivering the at least one fractional progressive jackpot amount that has been won by the player from the aforesaid one gaming terminal to the progressive controller;

awarding the at least one fractional progressive jackpot amount to the player.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving in each of the plurality of gaming terminals, the broadcast current progressive jackpot amount from the progressive controller.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

deducting the delivered at least one fractional progressive amount that has been won by the player from the current progressive jackpot amount in the progressive controller prior to the next broadcast.

4. A method of awarding less than a progressive jackpot amount to a player of a slot machine linked in a progressive gaming system, the progressive system broadcasting the progressive jackpot amount to be won by the player when a progressive event occurs in play of the slot machine by the player, the method comprising:

receiving from the player a wager of U units on at least one payline of the slot machine having a maximum wager of M units on the at least one payline to play the slot machine,

paying the player an amount less than the progressive jackpot amount based on the wager of U units, where U is less than M, when the progressive event occurs in play of the slot machine.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the amount paid is less than the product of the progressive jackpot amount and the ratio of U to M.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the amount paid is based on predetermined portion percentages associated with each unit of U.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

determining, in the slot machine, the amount paid;

delivering the determined amount from the slot machine to a progressive controller in the progressive gaming system.

8. A method of awarding a portion of a progressive jackpot to a player who wagers U units on a payline of a slot machine wherein a minimum possible wager of L units and maximum possible wager of M units exists so that LU≦

M, the method comprising;

qualifying the player with a wager of U units on the payline;

paying the player the progressive jackpot when U=M and a progressive event occurs in the slot machine;

paying the player a first portion of the progressive jackpot when U=L and the progressive event occurs in the slot machine;

paying the player a second portion of the progressive jackpot when L<

U<

M and the progressive event occurs in the slot machine;

wherein the second portion is less than or equal to the product of the progressive jackpot and the ratio of U to M, and greater than or equal to the product of the first portion of the progressive jackpot and the ratio of U to L.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein qualifying requires wagers on all paylines of the slot machine.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein qualifying is identical regardless of units wagered.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the first portion to less than or equal to the product of the progressive jackpot and the ratio of L to M.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the slot machine is a multi-reel, multi-payline slot machine and wherein qualifying the player requires the same symbol to appear on each reel of a payline in the multi-reel, multi-payline slot machine.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein qualifying the player requires only reel symbols.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein qualifying the player requires at least one reel symbol appearing on the payline and the successful completion of a strategy game.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein qualifying the player requires at least one reel symbol appearing on the payline and the successful completion of a knowledge-based game.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein qualifying the slot machine player requires at least one reel symbol appearing on the payline and the successful completion of a bonus game.

17. A method of awarding a portion of a progressive jackpot in a wide area progressive system having a plurality of gaming terminals, the method comprising:

qualifying a player of a gaming terminal in the plurality of gaming terminals for the portion of the progressive amount, and

paying the portion of the progressive amount when a progressive event occurs, the portion paid not more than the ratio of an amount wagered by the player to the maximum amount that can be wagered in the gaming machine.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein qualifying is receiving the amount wagered in the gaming terminal from the player.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the gaming terminal is a slot machine having a plurality of paylines with each payline having a maximum wager (M) and an actual wager (U), wherein the portion value is not more than the product of progressive jackpot and the ratio of U/M.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the portions are predetermined portions based on the actual wager (U).

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the progressive jackpot is a broadcast current jackpot.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the progressive jackpot is the actual progressive jackpot.