Wagering Game Providing A Progressive Award Having An Actual Value Determined By Follow-Up Game Play

• US 20090247277A1
• Filed: 06/09/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Caspers, Christopher J., Hopkins, Peter R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,474 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 17/3244 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 gaming system includes a progressive award having game play and an actual value. The game play has at least one variable element and an expected value that is representative of a value amount that should be won by the player, on average in the long term, via the game play. At least one controller is operative to change a state of the variable element based on received wager inputs at a plurality of gaming terminals such that the expected value of the game play increases as the state of the variable element changes. The state of the variable element is displayed on a display device and, in response to a progressive triggering event, game play is awarded, but not the actual value. The game play is conducted based on the variable element in its current state to determine the actual value, which is awarded to the player.

Claims

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

an input device configured to receive a wager input from a player on a gaming terminal;

a display device configured to display a progressive wagering game having a progressive award, the progressive award including game play and an actual value, the game play having at least one variable element, the game play further having an expected value that is representative of a value amount that should be won by the player, on average in the long term, via the game play; and

at least one controller operative to

change a state of the variable element based on the wager input received from the player and on other wager inputs received from other players at other gaming terminals such that the expected value of the game play increases as the state of the variable element changes,

cause the displaying of the state of the variable element on the display device,

in response to a progressive triggering event, award the game play, but not the actual value,

conduct the awarded game play based on the variable element in its current state to determine the actual value, and

award the determined actual value to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game play is a plurality of free plays, and the variable element is the number of free plays in the plurality of free plays.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein randomly selected outcomes of the free plays yield one or more of a monetary value and non-monetary value.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game play is a plurality of options selectable by the player from a player-selectable grid of options, any values associated with selected ones of the plurality of options being revealed upon selection by the player, the values determining the actual value of the progressive award.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the player-selectable grid of options has options associated with value and game-terminating options.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the variable element is the number of game-terminating options changes.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the number of game-terminating options decreases based on the wager input received from the player and on the other wager inputs received from other players at other gaming terminals.

8. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the values associated with selected ones of the plurality of options include multiplier values for increasing a value of a monetary award.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the progressive wagering game further includes another progressive award having another actual value that increases based on the wager input received from the player and on the other wager inputs received from other players at other gaming terminals, the another actual value being awarded in response to the progressive triggering event or another progressive triggering even.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the progressive award includes at least a first award level and a second award level, the first award level including the game play and the actual value, the second award level including only another actual value that increases based on the wager input received from the player and on the other wager inputs received from other players at other gaming terminals, the another actual value being awarded in response to the progressive triggering event or another progressive triggering event.

11. A method of playing a progressive wagering game having a progressive award, the progressive award including game play and an actual value, the game play having at least one variable element, the game play further having an expected value that is representative of a value amount that should be won by the player, on average in the long term, via the game play, the method comprising:

receiving wager inputs at respective wager input devices of a plurality of gaming terminals;

using one or more controllers to change a state of the variable element based on the wager inputs such that the expected value of the game play increases as the state of the variable element changes;

displaying the state of the variable element on one or more display devices;

in response to a progressive triggering event,

using at least one of the controllers to initially award the game play, but not the actual value,

conduct the awarded game play based on the variable element in its current state to determine the actual value, and

award the determined actual value to the player.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the game play is selected from a group consisting of one or more of a plurality of free plays and a plurality of player-selectable options.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the progressive award includes a first award level and a second award level, the first award level including the game play and the actual value, the second award level including only another actual value that increases based on the wager inputs, the another actual value being awarded in response to the progressive triggering event or another progressive triggering event.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the controllers is external to the plurality of gaming terminals.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the awarded game play includes

displaying to the player a plurality of player-selectable options on at least one of the display devices;

using a player input device to receive player input for selecting one or more of the plurality of player-selectable options; and

in response to the player input, revealing any values associated with selected ones of the plurality of player-selectable options, the values determining the actual value of the progressive award.

16. A gaming system for playing a progressive wagering game, comprising:

a plurality of gaming terminals;

wager input devices for accepting wager inputs from players at the gaming terminals; and

one or more controllers coupled to the gaming terminals and being operative to

cause a progressive award to be displayed on at least one display device, the progressive award including

(i) game play having at least one variable element and an expected value that is representative of a value amount that should be won by the player, on average in the long term, via the game play, and

(ii) an actual value,

change a state of the variable element based on the wager inputs received from the players at the gaming terminals,

cause the state of the variable element to be displayed on the display device,

in response to a progressive triggering event, award initially only the game play, but not the actual value,

conduct the awarded game play based on the variable element in its current state to determine the actual value of the progressive award, and

award the determined actual value to the player.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the game play is a plurality of free plays and the actual value is one or more awards awarded in response to the player playing the free plays.

18. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the game play is a plurality of player-selectable options and the actual value is a total of one or more values revealed in response to the player selecting one or more of the player-selectable options.

19. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the actual value includes one or more of a monetary value and a non-monetary value.

20. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the progressive award includes a plurality of award levels, at least one of the award levels including the game play and the actual value, at least another one of the award levels including only another actual value that increases based on the wager inputs, the another actual value being awarded in response to the progressive triggering event or another progressive triggering event.