Adjustment of awards in progressive system based on wager

• US 20090131159A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jaffe, Joel R., Englman, Allon G., Joshi, Shridhar P., Mastropietro, Michael W., Frattinger, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,147,320 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a progressive jackpot awarded in response to a jackpot win event. The gaming system includes a first gaming machine linked to the progressive jackpot, the first gaming machine accepting a first wager. The gaming system further includes a second gaming machine linked to the progressive jackpot, the second gaming machine accepting a second wager that is greater than the first wager. A first player making the first wager at the first gaming machine is awarded the progressive jackpot if the jackpot win event is associated with the first gaming machine. A second player making the second wager at the second gaming machine is awarded the progressive jackpot plus an expected value equalizing award if the jackpot win event is associated with the second gaming machine.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a progressive jackpot awarded in response to a jackpot win event;

a first gaming machine linked to the progressive jackpot, the first gaming machine accepting a first wager; and

a second gaming machine linked to the progressive jackpot, the second gaming machine accepting a second wager that is greater than the first wager;

wherein a first player making the first wager at the first gaming machine is awarded the progressive jackpot if the jackpot win event is associated with the first gaming machine;

wherein a second player making the second wager at the second gaming machine is awarded the progressive jackpot plus an expected value equalizing award if the jackpot win event is associated with the second gaming machine.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second wager is a multiple of the first wager.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the expected value equalizing award is a function of the difference between the second wager and the first wager.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the progressive jackpot comprises a base amount and an incremental amount.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein if the jackpot winning outcome occurs, the progressive jackpot is reset to the base amount.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the expected value equalizing award is equal to the product of (i) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (ii) the progressive jackpot.

7. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the expected value equalizing award is equal to the sum of (i) the product of (a) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (b) the base amount, and (ii) a special award.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the special award is a prize associated with a player selected element on the second gaming machine, the player selected element selected from a plurality of player selectable elements.

9. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein an expected value of the special award is equal to the product of (i) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (ii) the incremental amount.

10. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the expected value equalizing award is equal to a special award comprising a prize associated with a player selected element on the second gaming machine, the player selected element selected from a plurality of player selectable elements.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein an expected value of the special award is equal to the product of (i) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (ii) the progressive jackpot.

12. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein an expected value of the special award is equal to the product of (i) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (ii) the difference between (a) a strike price of the progressive jackpot and (b) the base amount.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the progressive jackpot increments based upon a predetermined percent of the first wager.

14. The gaming system of claim 1 further comprising a communal display linked to the progressive jackpot for displaying the progressive jackpot.

15. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system having a progressive jackpot awarded in response to a jackpot win event, the method comprising:

receiving a first wager from a first player at a first gaming machine linked to the progressive jackpot;

receiving a second wager from a second player at a second gaming machine linked to the progressive jackpot, the second wager being greater than the first wager;

in response to receiving the first wager and associated the jackpot win event with the first gaming machine, awarding the progressive jackpot to the first player; and

in response to receiving the second wager and associating the jackpot win event with the second gaming machine, awarding the progressive jackpot plus an expected value equalizing award to the second player.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second wager is a multiple of the first wager.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the expected value equalizing award is a function of the difference between the second wager and the first wager.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the progressive jackpot comprises a base amount and an incremental amount.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein if the jackpot winning outcome occurs, the progressive jackpot is reset to the base amount.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the expected value equalizing award is equal to the product of (i) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (ii) the progressive jackpot.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the expected value equalizing award is equal to the sum of (i) the product of (a) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (b) the base amount, and (ii) a special award.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the special award is a prize associated with a player selected element on the second gaming machine, the player selected element selected from a plurality of player selectable elements.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein an expected value of the special award is equal to the product of (i) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (ii) the incremental amount.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the expected value equalizing award is equal to a special award comprising a prize associated with a player selected element the second gaming machine, the player selected element selected from a plurality of player selectable elements.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein an expected value of the special award is equal to the product of (i) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (ii) the progressive jackpot.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein an expected value of the special award is equal to the product of (i) the difference between the second and first wagers divided by the first wager;

and (ii) the difference between (a) a strike price of the progressive jackpot and (b) the base amount.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein the progressive jackpot increments based upon a predetermined percent of the first wager.

29. The method of claim 15 further comprising displaying the progressive jackpot on a central display.

30. The method of claim 15, wherein the jackpot win event is enabled by either a central system or one of the gaming machines.

31. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming device to perform the method of claim 15.