Wagering game for tracking various types of wager inputs

• US 7,419,430 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Joshi, Shridhar P., Wadleigh, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert E
• Assistant Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/154,883
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 463 1- 49, 2731381-309
• 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 17/3262 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. A gaming system allowing players to be eligible for a progressive jackpot, 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, said first type of wager allowing said player to play said wagering game without allowing said player to be eligible for said progressive jackpot, 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 progressive jackpot while playing said wagering game, said second type of wager being unassociated with said play of said wagering game; and

a controller coupled to said plurality of gaming machines and operative to determine a first cumulative value of said first type of wagers, determine a second cumulative value of said second type of wagers, and determine a distributable wager pool that is derived from a portion of said first cumulative value and a portion of said second cumulative value, wherein said 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 said controller further operative to 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.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein 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.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second types of wagers are both credits applied from a credit meter at said gaming machine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller is located external to said plurality of gaming machines.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said distributable wager pool is associated with a first entity that owns said plurality of gaming machines.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said second distributable wager pool is distributed to a second entity that operates said plurality of gaming machines.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said distributable wager pool is equivalent to 3% of said first cumulative value plus 20% of said second cumulative value.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said 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.

9. A method of playing wagering games on a plurality of gaming machines at which players may be eligible for a progressive jackpot, said method 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 progressive jackpot, said second type of wager being an optional wager made in addition to said first type of wager and being unassociated with said play of said wagering game, 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 progressive jackpot 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; and

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

creating 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.

10. The method of claim 9, further including funding said progressive jackpot with a portion of said distributable wager pool.

11. The method of claim 9, 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.

12. The method of claim 11, 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.

13. The method of claim 9, further including notifying a player that said second type of wager has been made to provide eligibility to said progressive jackpot.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said distributable wager pool is associated with an owner of said plurality of gaming machines.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a portion of said distributable wager pool is used for funding said progressive jackpot.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said second distributable wager pool is distributed to a second entity that operates said plurality of gaming machines.

17. A method of operating a plurality of gaming machines at which at least one progressive jackpot is accessible, said method 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 portion of a value of said first data set and a portion of a value of said second data set, said creating said distributable wager pool includes deriving said distributable wager pool 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; and

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; and

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

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said distributable wager pool is associated with a first entity that owns said plurality of gaming machines, said second distributable wager pool is distributed to a second entity that operates said plurality of gaming machines.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said distributable wager pool is equivalent to 3% of said value of said first data set plus 20% of said value of said second data set, and further including funding payouts of said wagering games with a fixed percentage of said first wager inputs that is in a range from about 88% to about 95% of said first wager inputs.

20. The method of claim 17, 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.

21. A progressive gaming system having a progressive jackpot, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine receiving a first type of wager for playing a wagering game on said gaming machine, each gaming machine receiving a second type of wager to enable a player of said gaming machine to be eligible for said progressive jackpot, said progressive jackpot being collectively associated with said plurality of gaming machines, said second type of wager not being associated with said wagering game and only allowing a player who has made said first type of wager to be eligible for said progressive jackpot while playing said wagering game;

a network connecting said plurality of gaming machines; and

a processor coupled to said network and adapted to calculate a first cumulative value of said first type of wagers for said plurality of gaming machines, said processor being further adapted to calculate a second cumulative value of the second type of wagers for said plurality of gaming machines, and wherein a distributable wager pool that is derived from a first percentage of said first cumulative value and a second percentage of said second cumulative value is used for funding said progressive jackpot, said second percentage being different from said first percentage; and

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

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said distributable wager pool is also used for funding a special bonus-game event.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein percentages of allocations of said distributable wager pool between said special bonus-game event and said progressive jackpot change based on predetermined criteria.

24. A method of playing a wagering game on a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving a first type of wager from a player for playing said wagering game at said gaming machine;

in addition to said first type of wager and before conducting said wagering game, receiving an optional second type of wager at said gaming machine allowing a player to be eligible for a special award while playing said wagering game;

determining a first cumulative value of said first type of wagers received by a plurality of players;

determining a second cumulative value of said second type of wagers received by a plurality of players; and

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

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said special award is one of a group selected from a bonus-game award for a bonus game played on said gaming machine, a progressive-jackpot award, a community-event award, and an award associated with a specific feature of said wagering game that can be enabled on said gaming machine.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said special award is unrelated to symbols appearing in said wagering game.

27. The method of claim 24, further including funding said special award with at least a portion of said distributable wager pool.