METHOD OF AWARDING PRIZES FOR JACKPOT AND GAMING MACHINES BASED ON AMOUNT WAGERED DURING A TIME PERIOD

• US 20110092278A1
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,118,664 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
• 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

Abstract

Periodic prize draws are conducted by a jackpot controller in a gaming system having one or more electronic gaming devices. The probability of each electronic gaming device winning a particular prize draw is dependent upon the amount wagered on that gaming machine during a period preceding that prize draw. The prize may be a progressive jackpot which comprises an initial starting value and a contribution from the amounts wagered on the electronic gaming devices. If an electronic gaming device wins a prize draw, its player may be granted a feature game to determine the actual prize. Jackpots are suspended pending the completion of the feature game. The probability that a gaming device will win the prize draw, or the relative win probabilities of the gaming devices, may be displayed graphically.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming machines to each place at least one wager on at least one play of a game; and

(b) for each of said gaming machines;

(i) monitoring a first amount of wagers placed on said gaming machine during a first period of time,

(ii) determining a first probability of winning a designated award for the first period of time, wherein said determined first probability is based, at least in part, on the monitored first amount of wagers placed during the first period of time and the first probability is determined regardless of any amounts of wagers placed at any of said other gaming machines;

(iii) causing said gaming machine to display and provide the designated award if a first determination occurs to provide the designated award, wherein said first determination is associated with the first period of time and is based on the determined first probability,

(iv) monitoring a second amount of wagers placed on said gaming machine during a second, subsequent period of time, wherein the second time period partially overlaps the first period of time such that at least one wager on at least one game is placed at a point in time that is during the first period of time and the second period of time,

(v) determining a second probability of winning the designated award for the second period of time, wherein said determined second probability is based, at least in part, on the monitored second amount of wagers placed during the second period of time and the second probability is determined regardless of any amounts of wagers placed at any of said other gaming machines; and

(vi) causing said gaming machine to display and provide the designated award if a second determination occurs to provide the designated award, wherein said second determination is associated with the second period of time and is based on the determined second probability.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes determining a different second probability of winning the designated award for the second period of time if the second amount of wagers placed during the second period of time is different than the first amount of wagers placed during the first period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein for each of said gaming machines, determining the first probability of winning the designated award for the first period of time is based, at least in part, on a first quantity of designated award draws during the first period of time and the monitored first amount of wagers placed during the first period of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein for each of said gaming machines, determining the second probability of winning the designated award for the second period of time is based, at least in part, on a second quantity of designated award draws during the second period of time and the monitored second amount of wagers placed during the second period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the designated award is a progressive award.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the designated award is one of a plurality of progressive awards.

7. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming machines to each place at least one wager on at least one play of a game; and

(b) for each of said gaming machines;

(i) monitoring a first amount of wagers placed on said gaming machine during a first period of time,

(ii) causing said gaming machine to display and provide a designated award if a first determination occurs to provide the designated award, wherein said first determination is associated with the first period of time and is based on a first probability of winning the designated award for the first period of time, wherein said first probability is based, at least in part, on the monitored first amount of wagers placed during the first period of time and the first probability is independent of any amounts of wagers placed at any of said other gaming machines,

(iii) monitoring a second amount of wagers placed on said gaming machine during a second, subsequent period of time, wherein the second time period partially overlaps the first period of time such that at least one wager on at least one game is placed at a point in time that is during the first period of time and the second period of time, and

(iv) causing said gaming machine to display and provide the designated award if a second determination occurs to provide the designated award, wherein said second determination is associated with the second period of time and is based on a second probability of winning the designated award for the second period of time, wherein said second probability is based, at least in part, on the monitored second amount of wagers placed during the second period of time and the second probability is independent of any amounts of wagers placed at any of said other gaming machines.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second probability of winning the designated award for the second period of time is different than the first probability of winning the designated award for the first period of time if the second amount of wagers placed during the second period of time is different than the first amount of wagers placed during the first period of time.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein for each of said gaming machines, the first probability of winning the designated award for the first period of time is based, at least in part, on a first quantity of designated award draws during the first period of time and the monitored first amount of wagers placed during the first period of time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein for each of said gaming machines, the second probability of winning the designated award for the second period of time is based, at least in part, on a second quantity of designated award draws during the second period of time and the monitored second amount of wagers placed during the second period of time.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the designated award is a progressive award.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the designated award is one of a plurality of progressive awards.

13. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) for each of a plurality of plays of a primary game of a first gaming machine during a first period of time;

(i) enabling a player to wager one of a plurality of different wager amounts on said play of the primary game, and

(ii) for said play of the primary game;

(A) randomly determining a primary game outcome,

(B) causing a display device to display the randomly determined primary game outcome,

(C) determining a primary game award, said determined primary game award based on the determined primary game outcome and which of the plurality of different wager amounts was wagered on, and

(D) causing the display device to display the determined primary game award;

(b) separate from determining any primary game awards during the first period of time;

(i) determining a first probability of the first gaming machine awarding a prize, said first probability determined based, at least in part, on the amounts wagered during the first period of time, said first probability determined regardless of any amounts wagered at any other gaming machine during the first period of time, and

(ii) determining whether to cause the first gaming machine to award the prize, said determination based on the determined first probability; and

(c) for each of a plurality of plays of the primary game of the first gaming machine during a second period of time which partially overlaps the first period of time and includes a point in time in which one of the plays of the primary game is included in both the first period of time and the second period of time;

(i) enabling the player to wager one of the plurality of different wager amounts on said play of the primary game, and

(ii) for said play of the primary game;

(A) randomly determining a primary game outcome,

(B) causing the display device to display the randomly determined primary game outcome,

(C) determining a primary game award, said determined primary game award based on the determined primary game outcome and which of the plurality of different wager amounts was wagered on, and

(D) causing the display device to display the determined primary game award;

(d) separate from determining any primary game awards during the second period of time;

(i) determining a second probability of the first gaming machine awarding the prize, said second probability determined based, at least in part, on the amounts wagered during the second period of time, said second probability determined regardless of any amounts wagered at any other gaming machine during the second period of time, and

(ii) determining whether to cause the first gaming machine to award the prize, said determination based on the determined second probability; and

(e) if any determination is to cause the first gaming machine to award the prize to the player;

(i) causing the display device to display the prize, and

(ii) providing the prize to the player.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes conducting a prize draw for each of the first and second periods of time and, prior to each prize draw, determining the probability of the first gaming machine winning that draw to be awarded the prize.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the draws are conducted at periodic intervals of time, the period between draws being no greater than a predetermined period of time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the determined first and second probabilities is determined from an estimated amount wagered on the first gaming machine during the period of time since the last draw, the estimated amount being determined on a pro rata basis from the recorded amount of wagers during the predetermined period of time.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the prize is a play of a further game to determine an award to be provided to the player.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the time allowed for playing the further game is limited to a predetermined period.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the award is a jackpot.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the prize is a jackpot pool.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the jackpot pool comprises an initial amount and a proportion of the amount wagered on at least the first gaming machine since the jackpot pool was reset.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of displaying a graphical representation of at least one of the determined probabilities of the first gaming machine awarding the prize.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the gaming system includes a plurality of gaming machines, and the probabilities are displayed in relative format.