Wagering Game Providing Free Game Play as a Progressive Award

• US 20070213114A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Hopkins, Peter, Caspers, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,874,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A wagering game is comprised of a basic game and a progressive award. The progressive award increases based on wager inputs received from players playing at one or more gaming terminals. The actual value of a progressive award is determined by follow-up game play by a player at the gaming terminal. The follow-up game play can include one or more free plays of the basic game. The follow-up game play can also include the opportunity to play a progressive game where a player selects options in the progressive game that are associated with a monetary award. The options are different for different progressive awards that are achieved, such that a higher progressive award yields a higher expected value, which is effected by more favorable player-selectable options in the progressive game.

Claims

1. A gaming terminal for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a basic game having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of said basic game, said randomly selected outcome being selected in response to a wager input by a player; and

a progressive game feature having a progressive award that is triggered by a predetermined event, said progressive award increasing based on said wager input being received at said gaming terminal and other wager inputs being received from other gaming terminals, said progressive award has an actual value determined by follow-up game play by said player at said gaming terminal.

2. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said follow-up game play is one or more free spins of the basic game.

4. The gaming terminal of claim 2, wherein the number of said free spins of the basic game yields a monetary or non-monetary value associated with randomly selected outcomes of said free spins of said basic game.

7. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said progressive award is associated with a multiplier value, said multiplier value increases the value of a monetary award achieved in said follow-up game play.

8. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said predetermined event is a selection of a progressive-award outcome from a plurality of progressive game outcomes that are randomly selectable in response to receiving said wager input.

9. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said progressive award is measured in integers and increases by an incremental value for each wager input, said incremental value being a fraction of the integers associated with said progressive award.

10. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said follow-up game play is a progressive game that is played by said player in response to said predetermined event being triggered.

11. The gaming terminal of claim 10, wherein said progressive game includes a player-selectable grid of options.

12. The gaming terminal of claim 11, wherein said player-selectable grid of options has options associated with value and game-terminating options.

13. The gaming terminal of claim 12, wherein said options associated with value include multiplier values for increasing the value of a monetary award.

14. The gaming terminal of claim 12, wherein said number of game-terminating options changes as said progressive award changes.

16. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said progressive game feature has multiple progressive awards that are determined by follow-up game play by said player at said gaming terminal.

17. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein said actual value may be zero based on said follow-up game play.

3. (canceled)

5-6. -6. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

18-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A method of playing a progressive wagering game having a progressive award, comprising:

conducting a basic game at a plurality of gaming terminals in response to receiving wager inputs;

changing said progressive award in response to said wager inputs received at said plurality of gaming terminals; and

in response to a randomly selected outcome being a progressive-award outcome, awarding said progressive award to a player, said progressive award having an actual value determined by follow-up game play by said player at said gaming terminal.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of allowing said player to engage in said follow-up game play.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of awarding to said player said actual value in response to outcomes achieved in said follow-up game play.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein said randomly selected outcome is an outcome that is not selected during said basic game.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said randomly selected outcome is determined by a progressive-game controller that is external to said plurality of gaming terminals.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said randomly selected outcome is determined after a preselected wager amount is received at one of said plurality of gaming terminals.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said preselected wager amount is the maximum wager amount at said plurality of gaming terminals.

52. The method of claim 50, further including, in response to said wager input being more than said preselected wager amount and said progressive award being awarded, using a remainder of said wager input to determine if a consolation prize is won.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein said progressive award has multiple levels and further including, in response to said wager input being more than said preselected wager amount and said progressive award being awarded, using a remainder of said wager input to determine a level of said progressive award that is awarded.

45. (canceled)

47. (canceled)