Prize awarding system

• US 6,966,834 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Neurizon Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): COBURN, CORBETT B
• Application Number:
  US10/049,317
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/25, 463/26
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

Periodic prize draws are conducted by a jackpot controller (13) in a gaming system having one or more electronic gaming devices (10), where the probability of each electronic gaming device winning a particular prize draw is dependent upon the amount wagered on that gaming machine during a determined period of time preceding that prize draw. The prize can be a progressive jackpot with an initial value that is increased by contributions from the amounts wagered on the electronic gaming devices.

Claims

1. A gaming machine having

means for effecting a prize draw to award a prize on a non-deterministic basis, and

means for determining the probability of the gaming machine winning the prize including means for selecting a period preceding the prize draw and determining the amount wagered on the gaming machine during the selected period after it has elapsed, wherein the probability of the gaming machine winning the prize is dependent on the amount wagered on the gaming machine during the selected elapsed period.

2. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the probability is related to the total wagered amount recorded during the elapsed period.

3. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elapsed period is a sliding or rolling predetermined period prior to the prize draw.

4. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 3, further comprising means for recording during the predetermined period amounts wagered on the gaming machine.

5. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 1, having display means to present a graphical representation of the probability of winning the prize draw.

6. A gaming system comprising:

at least one gaming machine; and

control means connected to said gaming machine(s), said control means being programmed to conduct a series of prize draws in each of which at least one gaming machine has an opportunity to win a prize, said control means being programmed to select a period preceding each prize draw, to determine the amount wagered on at least one of the gaming machines during said selected period after it has elapsed and to determine whether to award a prize wherein the probability of each gaming machine winning the prize is dependent upon the amount wagered on that and only that gaming machine during said selected elapsed period.

7. A gaming system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the probability of each gaming machine winning the prize is related to the total wagered amount recorded during the elapsed period.

8. A gaming system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the probability is related to the maximum amount determined to have been wagered on a game during the elapsed period.

9. A gaming system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the elapsed period is a rolling or sliding period of time.

10. A gaming system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control means is programmed to calculate the probability of each gaming machine winning the next draw for each prize draw.

11. A gaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the elapsed period is a predetermined period preceding each draw and the control means is programmed to record the amounts wagered on each gaming machine and calculate the probability of each gaming machine winning that draw from the amount(s) recorded during the predetermined period.

12. A gaming system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control means is programmed to conduct draws at periodic intervals of time and the period between draws is no greater than the predetermined period.

13. A gaming system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the control means is programmed to calculate the winning probability for each gaming machine from the estimated amount wagered on that gaming machine during the period since the last draw and to calculate the estimated amount on a pro rata basis from the recorded amount of wagers during the predetermined period.

14. A gaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control means is programmed to award a further game to a draw winning gaming machine for determining the actual prize won.

15. A gaming system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the control means is programmed to limit the time allowed for playing the further game to a predetermined period.

16. A gaming system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the prize is a jackpot or one of a plurality of jackpots and the control means is programmed to suspend award of the jackpot(s) until the determination of the further game.

17. A gaming system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the prize is a jackpot pool.

18. A gaming system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the jackpot pool comprises an initial amount and a proportion of the amount wagered on the gaming machine(s) since the jackpot pool was reset.

19. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the control means is programmed to display a graphical representation of the probability of the gaming machine(s) winning the prize.

20. A gaming system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the gaming system includes a plurality of gaming machines and the probabilities are displayed in relative format.

21. A gaming system according to claim 6, wherein the control means is programmed to award the prize on a non-deterministic basis.

22. A method of awarding a prize in a prize draw conducted by a gaming system comprising at least one gaming machine, the method including selecting a period preceding the draw throughout which the amount wagered on at least one gaming machine is to be determined, determining the amount wagered on at least one of the at least one gaming machines during said selected period after it has elapsed, and determining whether to award a prize wherein the probability of each gaming machine winning the prize is dependent upon the amount determined to have been wagered on that and only that gaming machine during said selected elapsed period.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the probability is related to the total amount determined to have been wagered during the elapsed period.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the probability is related to the maximum amount determined to have been wagered on a game during the elapsed period.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the elapsed period is a rolling or sliding period of time.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22, including the step of conducting a series of prize draws and, prior to each prize draw, calculating the probability of each gaming machine winning that draw.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the elapsed period is a predetermined period preceding each draw, further comprising the steps of recording amounts wagered on each gaming machine and calculating the probability of each gaming machine winning that draw from amount(s) recorded during the predetermined period.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the draws are conducted at periodic intervals of time, the period between draws being no greater than the predetermined period.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the winning probability for each gaming machine is calculated from the estimated amount wagered on that gaming machine during the period since the last draw, the estimated amount being calculated on a pro rata basis from the recorded amount of wagers during the predetermined period.

30. A method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising the step of awarding to a draw winning gaming machine a further game to determine the actual prize won.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the time allowed for playing the further game is limited to a predetermined period.

32. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the prize is a jackpot or one of a plurality of jackpots, the method further comprising the step of suspending the jackpot(s) until the determination of the further game.

33. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the prize is a jackpot pool.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the jackpot pool comprises an initial amount and a proportion of the amount wagered on the gaming machine(s) since the jackpot pool was reset.

35. A method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the step of displaying a graphical representation of the probability of the gaming machine(s) winning the prize.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the gaming system includes a plurality of gaming machines, and the probabilities are displayed in relative format.

37. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the gaming system is programmed to award the prize on a non-deterministic basis.