Gaming system and method for enabling a player to select progressive awards to try for and chances of winning progressive awards

• US 7,674,178 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Cohen, Alexander Casey Naglestad, Ferry, Tonja Marie, Koby, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/830,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20080076515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 463/27
• 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

The present disclosure provides a gaming device, a gaming system and a method for operating a gaming device or gaming system with a plurality of progressive awards. The gaming device enables a player to select one of the progressive awards. The player'"'"'s selection of which progressive award to play for is based, at least in part, on a relative probability of the player winning the selected progressive award compared to the relative probabilities of the player winning the non-selected progressive awards. After selecting which award to play for, the gaming device either provides the selected progressive award to the player or modifies the relative probability that the player will win the selected progressive award with one or more of any award selections remaining. Such a configuration enables the player to strategically select which award to play for and the order that the player will play for the awards.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one central controller configured to maintain a plurality of progressive awards, wherein for each one of the plurality of progressive awards, said progressive award is associated with one of a plurality of different probabilities of being provided, each of the plurality of different probabilities being greater than zero percent and less than one-hundred percent; and

a plurality of gaming machines, each one of the gaming machines including;

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one gaming machine processor configured to communicate with the at least one central controller; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor after an occurrence of a random triggering event, cause the at least one gaming machine processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device, for a play of a secondary game, to;

(i) cause the at least one display device to display a first recommendation to select a first one of the plurality of progressive awards during the play of the secondary game, the first recommendation being based, at least in part, on the probability of being provided associated with the first one of the progressive awards,

(ii) cause the at least one display device to display a second, different recommendation to select a second one of the plurality of progressive awards during the play of the secondary game, the second, different recommendation being based, at least in part, on the probability of being provided associated with the second one of the progressive awards,

(iii) enable a player to directly select only one of the plurality of progressive awards after the first and second recommendations are displayed, and

(iv) enable the player to play for the selected progressive award during the play of the secondary game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor of one of the gaming machines, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to cause the at least one display device of said gaming machine to display the plurality of the progressive awards.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the first recommendation is associated with a first one of the displayed progressive awards and the second recommendation is associated with a second, different one of the displayed progressive awards.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first one of the progressive awards is different than the second one of the progressive awards.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor of one of the gaming machines, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to cause the at least one display device of said gaming machine to display an indication of the probability associated with each one of the plurality of progressive awards.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein for each one of the plurality of progressive awards, said progressive award is associated with a quantity of points, the quantity of points being associated with the displayed indication of the probability of said progressive award being provided to the player.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor of one of the gaming machines, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to:

(i) cause the at least one display device of said gaming machine to display a plurality of the progressive awards, (ii) for each one of the displayed progressive awards, cause the at least one display device of said gaming machine to display the quantity of points associated with said displayed progressive award, and (iii) enable the player to directly select one of the displayed progressive awards.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein for each one of the plurality of progressive awards, said progressive award is associated with a quantity of points, the quantity of points being associated with the probability of said progressive award being provided to the player.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor of one of the gaming machines, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to:

(i) determine whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player, and

(ii) cause the selected progressive award to be provided to the player if the determination is to provide the selected award.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the probability associated with the first one of the progressive awards is higher than the probability associated with the second one of the progressive awards.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor of one of the gaming machines, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to:

(i) determine whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player based on a quantity of points associated with the selected progressive award, and

(ii) cause the selected progressive award to be provided to the player if the determination is to provide the selected award.

12. A gaming system comprising:

at least one central controller configured to maintain a plurality of different progressive awards; and

a plurality of gaming machines, each one of the gaming machines including;

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one gaming machine processor configured to communicate with the at least one central controller; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor after an occurrence of a random triggering event, cause the at least one gaming machine processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device, for a play of a secondary game, to;

(i) cause the at least one display device to display the plurality of progressive awards,

(ii) for each one of the plurality of progressive awards;

(a) determine a probability of being provided associated with said progressive award,

(b) cause the at least one display device to display a value associated with said progressive award, and

(c) cause the at least one display device to display an indication of the determined probability associated with said progressive award,

(iii) enable a player to directly select only one of the plurality of progressive awards,

(iv) enable the player to play for the selected progressive award during the play of the secondary game,

(v) determine whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player based on the displayed indication, and

(vi) cause the selected progressive award to be provided to the player if the determination is to provide the selected progressive award.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein for each one of the plurality of progressive awards, said progressive award is associated with a quantity of points, the quantity of points associated with each one of the progressive awards being associated with the displayed indication of the determined probability of said progressive award being provided to the player.

14. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the progressive awards is at least partially funded by the wager.

15. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor of one of the gaming machines after displaying the indication of the determined probability associated with each of the progressive awards, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to enable the player to directly select one of the plurality of progressive awards.