Gaming method and device involving progressive wagers

• US 20060030403A1
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Wagerworks Incorporated (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nicely, Mark C., Lafky, Ernie M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,666,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method of gaming is disclosed wherein progressive award values may be increased in response to certain pre-established game outcomes, wager amounts or random events. The increased progressive award values may be based on a primary game or secondary game outcome. Another innovation is the resetting of progressive awards upon completion of a bonus event whether or not award actually won in said bonus event. Player tracking systems permit progressive award values to be linked to a particular player such that the progressive award values remain personal to the player. Re-setting increased progressive award values is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a wagering game comprising:

accepting a player wager;

generating a game outcome;

resolving the player wager by paying the player an award in response to the game outcome matching a predefined winning outcome; and

in response to the game outcome matching a predefined outcome, increasing an associated progressive award value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising resolving the player wager by paying the player the progressive award value in response to a predefined game outcome.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing the progressive award by a specific amount based on a game outcome and/or wager amount.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing the progressive award by a random amount.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a progressive award based on multiple linked games.

6. A method of conducting a wagering game comprising:

accepting a player wager;

generating a primary game outcome;

if said primary game outcome matches a predefined outcome, generating a secondary or bonus game outcome;

resolving the player wager by paying an award to the player in response to the primary game outcome matching a predefined winning outcome; and

in response to the secondary or bonus game outcome matching a predefined outcome, increasing an associated progressive award value.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising increasing the progressive award by a specific amount based on a game outcome and/or wager amount.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising increasing the progressive award by a random amount.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising funding the progressive award based on multiple linked games.

10. A method of conducting a wagering game comprising:

identifying a game player;

setting a progressive award value to a value associated with the player from a previous gaming session on the game;

setting the progressive award value to a default value for a first time game player;

accepting a player wager;

generating a primary game outcome;

resolving the player wager by paying an award to the player in response to a game outcome matching a predefined winning outcome; and

in response to one or more progressive award triggering events occurring, changing one or more progressive award values and storing a final progressive award values and associating the same with said player.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising increasing the progressive award value in response to a progressive award triggering event.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising maintaining the stored one or more progressive award values such that the progressive award values are available for the player during a next gaming session.

13. A method of conducting a wagering game comprising:

accepting a player wager;

providing one or more initial progressive award values, each said initial progressive award value being increased in response to the player wager being a preestablished wager amount;

generating a primary game outcome;

in response to a bonus event triggering game outcome, initiating a bonus round;

if a bonus event is triggered, conducting the bonus round;

re-setting said progressive award values to their initial progressive award values upon concluding play of the bonus round; and

resolving the player wager by paying the player an award, if any, based on a bonus round outcome or primary game outcome matching a predefined winning outcome.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising re-setting the progressive award at the conclusion of the bonus round based upon an amount of the player wager.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising increasing the progressive award values after initiation of the bonus round wherein said increase is based upon an amount of the player wager.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising multiple progressive awards.

17. An electronic device for facilitating play of a wagering game comprising:

a processor wherein said processor generates a game outcome;

one or more displays;

a data structure storing data storing game elements corresponding to the wagering game;

wager accepting means for a player to place one or more wagers;

payout means for resolving the one or more player wagers by paying the player an award if said game outcome corresponds to a winning outcome; and

wherein the processor causes an increase in a progressive award value in response to a game outcome corresponding to one or more pre-established game outcomes.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the progressive award is increased by a random amount.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein the progressive award is increased by a specific amount based on a game outcome and/or wager amount.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein the wager accepting means is a bill, ticket and/or coupon validator.

21. The device of claim 17 wherein said device is linked to a plurality of devices such that the progressive award value is funded by wagers at the plurality of linked devices.

22. An electronic device for playing a wagering game comprising:

a processor;

a display;

a data structure storing data corresponding to game elements for the wagering game;

means for accepting one or more player wagers;

wherein said processor generates a primary game outcome and a secondary game outcome, causes a player to be paid in response to said primary game outcome corresponding to a winning outcome and causing a progressive award increase in response to said secondary game outcome corresponding to one or more pre-established game outcomes.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the progressive award is increased by a random amount.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the progressive award is increased by a specific amount based on a game outcome and/or wager amount.

25. The device of claim 22 wherein the wager accepting means is a bill, ticket and/or coupon validator.

26. The device of claim 22 wherein said device is linked to a plurality of devices such that the progressive award value is funded by wagers at the plurality of linked devices.

27. An electronic device for playing a wagering game comprising:

a processor;

a display;

a data structure storing data corresponding to game elements corresponding to the game;

wager accepting means for a player to make one or more wagers;

wherein said processor generates a game outcome, causes the player to be provided an award in response to said game outcome corresponding to a winning outcome and causing a bonus event to be initiated and played, and upon completion of said bonus event, re-setting said progressive award amount in response to the game outcome corresponding to a winning outcome and/or in response to an award being won in a bonus round.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein re-setting the progressive award is based on the amount of the wager.

29. The device of claim 27 wherein, based on the wager amount, progressive award values may be increased when a bonus round is triggered but before the bonus round is played.