Multi-player bingo game with optional progressive jackpot wager

• US 20050187014A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan, Michaelson, Richard E., Saffari, Ali
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

The invention is directed to methods and gaming units for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot, wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia. Players may win the wagering game, interim pattern awards and/or progressive jackpot awards by matching predetermined patterns with patterns formed on their unique game array with indicia matching selected indicia. The players may optionally participate and be eligible to win all or a portion of the progressive jackpot. In one embodiment, the player may be eligible for the progressive jackpot by wagering at least a minimum wager amount, and perhaps the maximum bet for the wagering game. In another embodiment, the player may affirmatively elect to be eligible for the progressive jackpot by placing a wager or fee in addition to a wager on the wagering game. Graphics corresponding to the progressive jackpot may be optionally displayed only to players eligible to win the progressive jackpot.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot, comprising:

receiving a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at a gaming unit;

receiving input for a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of the wagering game at an input device of the gaming unit;

subtracting the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit;

comparing the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game to a minimum wager amount;

subtracting a progressive jackpot wager amount from one of the player'"'"'s available credit and the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit if the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to a minimum wager amount;

adding the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for the progressive jackpot;

determining an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the wagering game; and

awarding at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool to the player if the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome and the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

2. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player wagering game wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from the range of game indicia, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

3. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 2, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined maximum number of sequentially selected game indicia.

4. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 1, comprising subtracting the progressive jackpot wager amount from the player'"'"'s available credit.

5. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 1, comprising subtracting the progressive jackpot wager amount from the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit.

6. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 1, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

7. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 1, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager for the occurrence of the wagering game.

8. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 1, comprising displaying graphics corresponding to an outcome of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager at the gaming unit if the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

9. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 1, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the wagering game.

10. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot, comprising:

providing a currency-accepting mechanism at a gaming unit for receiving a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency at a gaming unit;

providing an input device for receiving input for a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of the wagering game at the gaming unit;

configuring the gaming unit to subtract the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager at the input device, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit;

configuring the gaming unit to compare the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game to a minimum wager amount;

configuring the gaming unit to subtract a progressive jackpot wager amount from one of the player'"'"'s available credit and the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit if the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to a minimum wager amount;

configuring the gaming unit to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for the progressive jackpot;

configuring the gaming unit to determine an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the wagering game; and

configuring the gaming unit to award at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool to the player if the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome and the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

11. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 10, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player wagering game wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

12. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 11, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined maximum number of sequentially selected game indicia.

13. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 10, comprising configuring the gaming unit to subtract the progressive jackpot wager amount from the player'"'"'s available credit.

14. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 10, comprising configuring the gaming unit to subtract the progressive jackpot wager amount from the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit.

15. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 10, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

16. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 10, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager for the occurrence of the wagering game.

17. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 10, comprising configuring the gaming device to display graphics corresponding to an outcome of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager at the gaming unit if the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

18. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 10, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the wagering game.

19. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot, comprising:

receiving a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at a gaming unit;

receiving input for a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of the wagering game at an input device of the gaming unit;

subtracting the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit;

receiving input for a player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager for the occurrence of the wagering game at the input device of the gaming unit;

subtracting the amount of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager for the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager;

adding the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for the progressive jackpot;

determining an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the wagering game; and

awarding at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool to the player if the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome and the player input a progressive jackpot wager.

20. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 19, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player wagering game wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

21. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 20, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined maximum number of sequentially selected game indicia.

22. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 19, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

23. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 19, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager for the occurrence of the wagering game.

24. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 19, comprising displaying graphics corresponding to an outcome of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager at the gaming unit if the player input a progressive jackpot wager.

25. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 19, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the wagering game.

26. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot, comprising:

providing a currency-accepting mechanism at a gaming unit for receiving a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency at a gaming unit;

providing an input device for receiving input for a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of the wagering game at the gaming unit;

configuring the gaming unit to subtract the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager at the input device, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit;

configuring the input device for receiving input for a player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager for the occurrence of the wagering game at the gaming unit;

configuring the gaming unit to subtract the amount of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager for the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving input for the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager;

configuring the gaming unit to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for the progressive jackpot;

configuring the gaming unit to determine an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the wagering game; and

configuring the gaming unit to award at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool to the player if the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome and the player inputs a progressive jackpot wager.

27. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 26, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player wagering game wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

28. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 27, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined maximum number of sequentially selected game indicia.

29. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 26, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

30. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 26, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager for the occurrence of the wagering game.

31. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 26, comprising configuring the gaming device to display graphics corresponding to an outcome of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager at the gaming unit if the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

32. A method for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 26, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the wagering game.

33. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in a gaming network having a network computer and a plurality of gaming units, comprising:

an input device for inputting a plurality of input selections;

a gaming unit memory device;

a currency-accepting mechanism that is capable of allowing a player to deposit a medium of currency;

an output device;

a value-dispensing mechanism that is capable of dispensing value to the player;

a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to the input device, the gaming unit memory device, the currency-accepting mechanism, the output device, and the value-dispensing mechanism,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the currency-accepting mechanism to accept a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at the gaming unit,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the input device to receive input for a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of the wagering game at the input device,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to compare the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game to a minimum wager amount,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract a progressive jackpot wager amount from one of the player'"'"'s available credit and the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit in response to determining that the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to cause the output device to transmit a message to the network computer to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for the progressive jackpot,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the wagering game, and

the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine whether the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the wagering game is a progressive jackpot winning outcome in response to determining that the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome and to determining that the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

34. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 33, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player wagering game wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia by one of the network computer and a wagering game server of the gaming network, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

35. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 34, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined number of sequentially selected game indicia.

36. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 33, wherein the gaming unit controller is programmed to subtract the progressive jackpot wager amount form the player'"'"'s available credit.

37. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 33, wherein the gaming unit controller is programmed to subtract the progressive jackpot wager amount form the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit.

38. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 33, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

39. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 33, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager amount for the occurrence of the wagering game.

40. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 33, comprising a display device operatively coupled to the gaming unit controller, the gaming unit controller being programmed to cause the display device to display graphics corresponding to an outcome of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager at the gaming unit in response to determining that the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

41. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 33, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the wagering game.

42. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in a gaming network having a network computer and a plurality of gaming units, comprising:

an input device for inputting a plurality of input selections;

a gaming unit memory device;

a currency-accepting mechanism that is capable of allowing a player to deposit a medium of currency;

an output device;

a value-dispensing mechanism that is capable of dispensing value to the player;

a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to the input device, the gaming unit memory device, the currency-accepting mechanism, the output device, and the value-dispensing mechanism,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the currency-accepting mechanism to accept a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at the gaming unit,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the input device to receive input for a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of the wagering game at the input device,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the input device to receive input for a player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager for the occurrence of the wagering game at the input device of the gaming unit,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract the amount of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager for the occurrence of the wagering game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit in response to receiving the input for the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to cause the output device to transmit a message to the network computer to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for the progressive jackpot,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the wagering game, and

the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine whether the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the wagering game is a progressive jackpot winning outcome in response to determining that the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome and to receiving the player'"'"'s input for a progressive jackpot wager at the input device.

43. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 42, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player wagering game wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia by one of the network computer and a wagering game server of the gaming network, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

44. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 43, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined number of sequentially selected game indicia.

45. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 42, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

46. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 42, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager amount for the occurrence of the wagering game.

47. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 42, comprising a display device operatively coupled to the gaming unit controller, the gaming unit controller being programmed to cause the display device to display graphics corresponding to an outcome of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager at the gaming unit in response to receiving the player'"'"'s input for a progressive jackpot wager at the input device.

48. A gaming unit for conducting a wagering game and associated progressive jackpot in accordance with claim 42, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the wagering game.