Wagering game for tracking various types of wager inputs

• US 20080248862A1
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Joshi, Shridhar P., Wadleigh, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,460,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A gaming system includes a plurality of linked gaming machines and a controller coupled to the gaming machines. The gaming machines are used for playing one or more wagering games having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome. Each gaming machine includes at least one wager-input device for receiving a first type of wager, which allows the player to play the wagering game, and the second type of wager, which allows the player to be eligible for a progressive jackpot. The controller determines a first cumulative value of the first type of wagers, a second cumulative value of the second type of wagers, and a distributable wager pool that is derived from a portion of the first cumulative value and a portion of the second cumulative value. The distributable wager pool can fund the progressive jackpot.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A gaming system allowing players to be eligible for a special feature, comprising:

a plurality of linked gaming machines for playing one or more wagering games having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of said wagering games, each of said gaming machines including at least one wager-input device for receiving a first type of wager and a second type of wager; and

a controller coupled to said plurality of gaming machines and operative to (i) determine a first cumulative value of said first type of wagers, (ii) determine a second cumulative value of said second type of wagers, (iii) determine a first distributable wager pool that is derived from a portion of said first cumulative value and a portion of said second cumulative value, and (iv) determine a second distributable wager pool that is derived from a second portion of said first cumulative value and a second portion of said second cumulative value.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said first type of wager allows said player to play said wagering game without allowing said player to be eligible for said special feature, said second type of wager being an optional wager made in addition to said first wager for allowing said player to be eligible for said special feature.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said special feature is a progressive jackpot award.

32. The system of claim 31, said controller is further operative to, in response to said randomly selected outcome at one of said gaming machines being a progressive-jackpot winning outcome, award said player said progressive jackpot award.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said first distributable wager pool is associated with a first entity that owns said plurality of gaming machines.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said second distributable wager pool is used for funding said progressive jackpot, said funding includes a reset amount after said progressive jackpot is won and increment amounts corresponding to said second types of wagers that are received at said plurality of gaming machines.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein said second distributable wager pool is associated with a second entity that operates said plurality of gaming machines.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein said first distributable wager pool is derived from a first percentage of said first cumulative value and a second percentage of said second cumulative value, said first percentage being different from said second percentage.

37. A method of playing wagering games on a plurality of gaming machines at which players may be eligible for a special feature, comprising:

receiving a first type of wager for playing said wagering games at said plurality of gaming machines, said first type of wager being made by a first group of players and a second group of players;

receiving a second type of wager at said plurality of gaming machines allowing players to be eligible for said special feature, said second type of wager being optionally made by said first group of players, but not by said second group of players, such that only said first group of players are eligible for said special feature while playing said wagering games;

determining a first cumulative value of said first type of wagers;

determining a second cumulative value of said second type of wagers;

creating a first distributable wager pool that is derived from a portion of said first cumulative value and a portion of said second cumulative value; and

creating a second distributable wager pool that is derived from a portion of said first cumulative value and a portion of said second cumulative value.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said special feature is a progressive game with a progressive jackpot, and further including funding said progressive jackpot with said first distributable wager pool.

39. The method of claim 38, further including, in response to receiving said first wager type and said second wager type at one of said gaming machines, conducting said wagering games including randomly selecting outcomes from a plurality of outcomes.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said plurality of outcomes includes a progressive-jackpot winning outcome, and further including awarding said progressive jackpot in response to one of said randomly selected outcomes being said progressive-jackpot winning outcome.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein said first distributable wager pool is associated with an owner of said plurality of gaming machines.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said second distributable wager pool is associated with a second entity that operates said plurality of gaming machines.

43. A method of operating a plurality of gaming machines at which at least one progressive jackpot is accessible, comprising:

collecting wager-input data at said plurality of gaming machines that corresponds to wager inputs made at said plurality of gaming machines, said wagering-input data including a first data set corresponding to first wager inputs received for playing wagering games at said plurality of gaming machines and a second data set corresponding to second wager inputs permitting eligibility to said progressive jackpot at said plurality of gaming machines, said first wager inputs only allowing players to play said wagering games without being eligible for said progressive jackpot, each of said second wager inputs being optionally provided by a player in addition to said first wager input before playing said wagering game so as to allow said player to be eligible for said progressive jackpot while playing said wagering game;

creating a distributable wager pool that is derived from a first percentage of a value of said first data set and a second percentage of a value of said second data set, said second percentage being different from said first percentage; and

using at least a portion of said distributable wager pool to fund said progressive jackpot.

44. The method of claim 43, further including creating a second distributable wager pool that is derived from a second portion of a value of said first data set plus a second portion of a value of said second data set.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said distributable wager pool is associated with a first entity that owns said plurality of gaming machines, said second distributable wager pool is associated with a second entity that operates said plurality of gaming machines.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein said first percentage is 3% and said second percentage is 20%.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein said collecting and said creating are performed by at least one controller associated with a progressive gaming network to which said plurality of gaming machines are coupled.

48. The method of claim 43, further including, in response to receiving said first wager inputs and said second wager inputs at one of said gaming machines, conducting said wagering games including randomly selecting outcomes from a plurality of outcomes, and awarding said progressive jackpot in response to one of said randomly selected outcomes being a progressive-jackpot winning outcome.