Multi-player bingo game with optional progressive jackpot wager

• US 7,959,509 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Michaelson, Richard E., Wolf, Bryan, Saffari, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US10/755,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,709 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 10- 13, 463 16- 21, 463/22, 463 25- 27, 463 40- 42, 463/23, 463 29- 34, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/141.A, 273/142.B, 273/142.C, 273/142.J, 273/148.R
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

The invention is directed to methods and gaming units for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot, wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia. Players may win the wagering game, interim pattern awards and/or progressive jackpot awards by matching predetermined patterns with patterns formed on their unique game array with indicia matching selected indicia. The players may optionally participate and be eligible to win all or a portion of the progressive jackpot. In one embodiment, the player may be eligible for the progressive jackpot by wagering at least a minimum wager amount, and perhaps the maximum bet for the wagering game. Graphics corresponding to the progressive jackpot may be optionally displayed only to players eligible to win the progressive jackpot.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input for an amount of a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of a multi-player wagering game at an input device of a gaming unit, wherein the multi-player wagering game is a primary game;

subtracting the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the primary game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit after receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager on the primary game, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to an amount of a medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit;

comparing the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the primary game to a minimum wager amount;

subtracting, by a gaming unit controller of the gaming unit, a progressive jackpot wager amount from one of the player'"'"'s available credit and the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit when the player'"'"'s wager on the primary game is greater than or equal to a minimum wager amount;

adding, by the gaming unit controller of the gaming unit, the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for a progressive jackpot when the player'"'"'s wager on the primary game is greater than or equal to a minimum wager amount;

determining an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the primary game;

awarding at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool to the player for a secondary game when the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the primary game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome for the secondary game and the player'"'"'s wager for the primary game is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount; and

wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the primary game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from the range of game indicia, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the primary game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the primary game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome when a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the primary game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome when the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined maximum number of sequentially selected game indicia.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising subtracting the progressive jackpot wager amount from the player'"'"'s available credit.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising subtracting the progressive jackpot wager amount from the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager for the occurrence of the wagering primary game.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising displaying graphics corresponding to an outcome of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager at the gaming unit when the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to a maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the primary game.

9. A method comprising:

providing an input device for receiving input for an amount of a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of a multi-player wagering game at the gaming unit, wherein the multi-player wagering game is a first game;

configuring the gaming unit to subtract the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the first game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit after receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager on the first game at the input device, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to an amount of a medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit;

configuring the gaming unit to compare the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the first game to a minimum wager amount;

configuring the gaming unit to subtract a progressive jackpot wager amount from one of the player'"'"'s available credit and the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit when the player'"'"'s wager on the first game is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount;

configuring the gaming unit to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for a progressive jackpot;

configuring the gaming unit to determine an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the first game;

configuring the gaming unit to award at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool for a second game to the player when the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the first game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome and the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount, wherein the second game is different than the first game; and

wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the first game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the first game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the first game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome of the second game when a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the first game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome when the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined maximum number of sequentially selected game indicia.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising configuring the gaming unit to subtract the progressive jackpot wager amount from the player'"'"'s available credit.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising configuring the gaming unit to subtract the progressive jackpot wager amount from the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit.

13. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

14. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager for the occurrence of the first game.

15. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising configuring the gaming device to display graphics corresponding to an outcome of the player'"'"'s progressive jackpot wager at the gaming unit when the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

16. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the first game.

17. A gaming unit in a gaming network having a network computer and a plurality of gaming units, comprising:

an input device for inputting a plurality of input selections;

a gaming unit memory device;

a currency-accepting mechanism that is operable to allow a player to deposit a medium of currency;

an output device;

a value-dispensing mechanism that is operable to dispense a value to the player;

a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to the input device, the gaming unit memory device, the currency-accepting mechanism, the output device, and the value-dispensing mechanism,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the currency-accepting mechanism to accept a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by the player at the gaming unit,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to allow the input device receive input for an amount of a player'"'"'s wager on an occurrence of a multi-player wagering game at the input device, wherein the multi-player wagering game is a primary game,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the wagering game for the primary game from the player'"'"'s available credit at the gaming unit after receiving the input for the player'"'"'s wager, wherein the player'"'"'s available credit corresponds to the amount of the medium of currency deposited at the gaming unit,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to compare the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on the occurrence of the primary game to a minimum wager amount,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract a progressive jackpot wager amount for a secondary game from one of the player'"'"'s available credit and the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit after determining that the player'"'"'s wager on the primary game is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to cause the output device to transmit a message to the network computer to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool for a progressive jackpot when the player'"'"'s wager on the primary game is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine an outcome for the player for the occurrence of the primary game,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to determine whether the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the primary game is a progressive jackpot winning outcome after determining that the player'"'"'s outcome for the occurrence of the primary game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome and to determining that the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount so as to award at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool for the secondary game to the player; and

wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the primary game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia by one of the network computer and a game server of the gaming network, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the primary game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering primary game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome when a pattern on the player'"'"'s unique game array formed by game indicia on the unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning pattern.

18. A gaming unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the primary game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome when the player matches the predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined number of sequentially selected game indicia.

19. A gaming unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the gaming unit controller is programmed to subtract the progressive jackpot wager amount form the player'"'"'s available credit.

20. A gaming unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the gaming unit controller is programmed to subtract the progressive jackpot wager amount form the credits subtracted from the player'"'"'s available credit.

21. A gaming unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined fixed wager amount.

22. A gaming unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to a predetermined percentage of the player'"'"'s wager for the occurrence of the primary game.

23. A gaming unit in accordance with claim 17, comprising a display device operatively coupled to the gaming unit controller, the gaming unit controller being programmed to cause the display device to display graphics corresponding to an outcome of the secondary game at the gaming unit determining that the player'"'"'s wager is greater than or equal to the minimum wager amount.

24. A gaming unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the minimum wager amount is equal to the maximum wager that the player may make for an occurrence of the primary game.