Method of awarding prizes for jackpot and gaming machines based on amount wagered during a time period

• US 7,883,407 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn; Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US11/236,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,961 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 (13) in a gaming system having one or more electronic gaming devices (10). 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) for each of a plurality of plays of a primary game of a first gaming machine;

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

(i) 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;

(i) determining a probability of the first gaming machine awarding a prize, said being;

(A) dependent upon at least a plurality of, but not all of the amounts wagered on that first gaming machine during an elapsed period, and

(B) determined regardless of any amounts wagered at any other gaming machine, and

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

(c) if the determination is to award the prize to the player;

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

(ii) providing the prize to the player playing the first gaming machine when the determination is to award the prize to the player.

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

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the probability is related to the maximum amount wagered on a game during the elapsed period.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elapsed period is a rolling or sliding period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, 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 to be awarded the prize.

6. The method of claim 5, 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 any amount recorded during the predetermined period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the draws are conducted at periodic intervals of time, the period between draws being no greater than the predetermined period.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein for each gaming machine, the probability of said gaming machine awarding the prize 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.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the prize is a play of a further game to determine an award to be provided to the player.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the time allowed for playing the further game is limited to a predetermined period.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the award is a jackpot.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the prize is a jackpot pool.

13. The method of claim 12, 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.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a graphical representation of the probability of each gaming machine awarding the prize.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the gaming system includes a plurality of gaming machines, and the probabilities are displayed in relative format.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein each gaming machine is an electronic gaming device.