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

• US 7,677,971 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• 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:
  US11/759,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 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 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

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 programmed to maintain a plurality of progressive awards; and

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, each gaming machine including;

at least one display device configured to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player;

at least one input device;

at least one gaming machine processor; and

at least one memory device which includes 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 said at least one input device, said at least one display device to control a play of a secondary game, regardless of an amount of the wager placed by the player on a play of the primary game, by;

(i) enabling the player to directly select any one of the maintained plurality of progressive awards as a first progressive award,

(ii) enabling the player to play for the selected first progressive award at a first time during the play of the secondary game,

(iii) determining whether to provide the selected first progressive award to the player,

(iv) regardless of if the player is provided the selected first progressive award, enabling the player to play for a second progressive award at a second, different time during the same play of the secondary game, and

(v) determining whether to provide the second progressive award to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second, different time occurs after the first time.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor after the occurrence of the random triggering event, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by enabling the player to directly select any one of the maintained plurality of progressive awards as the second progressive award.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second progressive award is unavailable for selection by the player until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined condition includes the player being provided the selected first progressive award.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined condition includes the player playing for the selected first progressive award.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, for a different one of the gaming machines, when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor of said different gaming machine after the occurrence of the random triggering event, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor of said different gaming machine to control the secondary game by enabling the player of said different gaming machine to participate in the secondary game and providing a separate play of the secondary game to the player of said different gaming machine.

8. A gaming system comprising:

at least one central controller programmed to maintain a first plurality of progressive awards and at least one second progressive award; and

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, each gaming machine including;

at least one display device configured to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player;

at least one input device;

at least one gaming machine processor; 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 said at least one input device, said at least one display device to control a play of a secondary game by;

(i) enabling the player to directly select any one of the first plurality of progressive awards to play for during the play of the secondary game,

(ii) determining whether to provide the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards to the player,

(iii) subsequent to playing for the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards, regardless of an amount of the wager placed by the player, enabling the player to subsequently directly select at least one of a different one of the first plurality of progressive awards and the at least one second progressive award to play for during the same play of the secondary game, and

(iv) determining whether to provide the subsequently directly selected progressive award.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein each of the first plurality of progressive awards is initially available for selection by the player and the at least one second progressive award is initially unavailable for selection by the player.

10. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor, if the determination is to provide the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards to the player, to control the play of the secondary game by enabling the player to directly select at least one of a different one of the first plurality of progressive awards and the at least one second progressive award during the same play of the secondary game.

11. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor, if the determination is not to provide the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards to the player, to control the play of the secondary game by enabling the player to directly select another progressive award from the first plurality of progressive awards during the same play of the secondary game.

12. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor, if the determination is not to provide the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards to the player, to control the play of the secondary game by:

(i) enabling the player to keep playing for the selected first progressive award, or (ii) enabling the player to directly select at least one of another progressive award from the first plurality of progressive awards and the at least one second progressive award to play for during the same play of the secondary game.

13. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by enabling the player to directly select the at least one second progressive award after being provided with any one of the first plurality of progressive awards.

14. A gaming system comprising:

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

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, each gaming machine including;

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one gaming machine processor; 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 said at least one input device, said at least one display device and said at least one memory device to control a play of a secondary game by;

(i) causing said at least one display device to simultaneously display the plurality of the progressive awards, each displayed progressive award having a displayed value and being associated with a displayed likelihood of being provided to a player,

(ii) for each of the progressive awards, displaying an indication of the likelihood of said progressive award being provided to the player, and

(iii) enabling the player to directly select at least one of the displayed progressive awards to play for during the play of the secondary game.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the likelihood of being provided one of the progressive awards is greater than the likelihood of being provided another one of the progressive awards.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein for each of the progressive awards, the likelihood of said progressive award being provided to the player is different.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by, for at least one of the progressive awards, changing the displayed indication of the likelihood of said progressive award being provided to the player during the same play of the secondary game.

18. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by:

(i) determining whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player, and (ii) if the determination is to provide the selected progressive award, providing the selected progressive award to the player.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by increasing the selected progressive award if the determination is not to provide the selected progressive award.

20. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by designating at least one of the displayed progressive awards as unavailable for selection by the player until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein the predetermined condition includes the player being provided with the at least one selected progressive award.

22. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by designating at least one of the progressive awards as available to the player for each play of the secondary game.

23. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by:

(i)causing a random determination of whether to provide at least one of the progressive awards to the player independent from the secondary game, and (ii) if the random determination is to provide the at least one progressive award to the player, providing the at least one progressive award to the player.

24. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one gaming machine processor to control the play of the secondary game by:

(i) displaying a plurality of game components, and (ii) enabling the player to directly select at least one of the displayed game components during the same play of the secondary game, wherein the likelihood of the selected progressive award being provided to the player is based, at least in part, on the at least one selected game component.

25. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising:

(a) causing the controller to maintain a plurality of progressive awards;

(b) after an occurrence of a random triggering event in association with at least one of the gaming machines, regardless of any amounts of the wagers placed by the players on plays of the primary game, enabling one of the players to directly select any one of the maintained progressive awards as a first progressive award during a play of a secondary game;

(c) enabling said player to play for the selected first progressive award at a first time during the play of the secondary game;

(d) determining whether to provide the selected first progressive award to said player;

(e) regardless of if said player is provided the selected first progressive award, enabling said player to play for a second progressive award at a second, different time during the same play of the secondary game; and

(f) determining whether to provide the second progressive award to said player.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second, different time occurs after the first time.

27. The gaming system of claim 25, which includes enabling said player to directly select any one of the maintained plurality of progressive awards as the second progressive award from the plurality of progressive awards.

28. The method of claim 25, which includes designating the second progressive award as unavailable for selection by said player until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the predetermined condition includes said player being provided the selected first progressive award.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the predetermined condition includes said player playing for the selected first progressive award.

31. The method of claim 25, which includes, after the occurrence of the random triggering event in association with at least one of the gaming machines, enabling another one of the players at a different one of the gaming machines to participate in the secondary game and providing a separate play of the secondary game to said player of said different gaming machine.

32. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising:

(a) causing the controller to maintain a first plurality of progressive awards and at least one second progressive award;

(b) after an occurrence of a random triggering event in association with least one of the gaming machines, enabling one of the players to directly select any one of the first plurality of progressive awards to play for during a play of a secondary game;

(c) determining whether to provide the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards to the player;

(d) subsequent to playing for the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards, regardless of an amount of the wager placed by the player, enabling the player to subsequently directly select at least one of a different one of the first plurality of progressive awards and the at least one second progressive award to play for during the same play of the secondary; and

(e) determining whether to provide the subsequently directly selected progressive award to the player.

33. The method of claim 32, which includes designating each of the first plurality of progressive awards as initially available for selection by said player and designating the at least one second progressive award as initially unavailable for selection by said player.

34. The method of claim 32, which includes, if the determination is to provide the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards to said player, enabling said player to subsequently directly select at least one of:

(i) a different one of the first plurality of progressive awards, and (ii) the at least one second progressive award during the same play of the secondary game.

35. The method of claim 32, which includes enabling said player to directly select another progressive award from the first plurality of progressive awards during the same play of the secondary game if the determination is not to provide the selected first progressive award to said player.

36. The method of claim 32, which includes, if the determination is not to provide the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards to said player, enabling said player:

(i) to keep playing for the selected one of the first plurality of progressive awards, or (ii) to directly select at least one of a different one of the first plurality of progressive awards and the at least one second progressive award to play for during the same play of the secondary game.

37. The method of claim 32, which includes enabling said player to directly select the at least one second progressive award after being provided with any one of the progressive awards from the first plurality of progressive awards.

38. The method of claim 32, which is provided through a data network.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the data network is an internet.

40. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising:

(a) causing the controller to maintain a plurality of progressive awards;

(b) after an occurrence of a random triggering event in association with at least one of the gaming machines, causing at least one display device to simultaneously display the plurality of the progressive awards during a play of a secondary game, each displayed progressive award having a displayed value and being associated with a displayed likelihood of being provided to one of the players;

(c) for each of the progressive awards, causing the at least one display device to display an indication of the likelihood of said progressive award being provided to said player; and

(d) enabling said player to directly select at least one of the displayed progressive awards to play for during the play of the secondary game.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the likelihood of being provided one of the progressive awards is greater than the likelihood of being provided another one of the progressive awards.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein for each of the progressive awards, the likelihood of being provided said progressive award is different.

43. The method of claim 40, which includes, for at least one of the progressive awards, causing the controller to change the displayed indication of the likelihood of said progressive award being provided to said player during the same play of the secondary game.

44. The method of claim 40, which includes:

(i) determining whether to provide the selected progressive award to said player, and (ii) if the determination is to provide the selected one of the displayed progressive awards, providing the selected progressive award to said player.

45. The gaming system of claim 44, which includes increasing the selected progressive award if the determination is not to provide the selected one of the displayed progressive awards.

46. The method of claim 40, which includes designating at least one of the displayed progressive awards to be unavailable for selection by said player until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the predetermined condition includes the player being provided with the at least one selected progressive award.

48. The method of claim 40, which includes designating at least one of the progressive awards as available to said player for each play of the secondary game.

49. The method of claim 40, which includes causing a random determination of whether to provide at least one of the progressive awards to said player independent from the secondary game, and if the random determination is to provide the at least one progressive award to said player, providing the at least one progressive award to said player.

50. The method of claim 40, which includes displaying a plurality of game components, and enabling said player to directly select at least one of the displayed game components during the same play of the secondary game, wherein the likelihood of the selected progressive award being provided to said player is based, at least in part, on the selected game component.

51. The method of claim 40, which is provided through a data network.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the data network is an internet.