Wagering game with multiplier for progressive fund pool

• US 8,182,338 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Application Number:
  US12/296,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20090042638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/26, 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A method for playing wagering games at which players are eligible for a progressive game includes, responsive to receiving wager inputs from players, conducting wagering games in which players are eligible to win a progressive game. The method includes funding the progressive game by a portion of the wager inputs. The progressive game has a certain number of fund pools, each fund pool receiving a substantially equivalent share of the funding portion. The method also includes displaying a progressive-game award value that is substantially equivalent to an amount of one of the fund pools. In response to a player triggering a progressive-award winning outcome, a plurality of selectable elements are displayed to the player, each selectable element being associated with a progressive-game award multiplier that increases the progressive-game award value to an enhanced-progressive-award value. The progressive game multiplier dictates the number of the fund pools to be used to award the enhanced-progressive-award value to the player.

Claims

1. A method for playing wagering games at which players are eligible for a progressive game, the method comprising:

in response to receiving, via one or more input devices, wager inputs from said players, conducting wagering games in which said players are eligible to win said progressive game;

funding said progressive game by a portion of said wager inputs, said progressive game having a certain number of fund pools greater than one, each of said fund pools receiving a substantially equivalent share of said funding portion;

displaying, via a display device, a progressive-game award value that is substantially equivalent to an amount of a single one of said fund pools; and

in response to triggering a progressive-award winning outcome, displaying to the player, via the display device, a plurality of selectable elements, each of said selectable elements being associated with a progressive-game award multiplier that increases said progressive-game award value to an enhanced-progressive-award value, said progressive game multiplier dictating the number of said fund pools to be used to award said enhanced-progressive-award value to said player, the displaying of the progressive-game award value starting prior to displaying the progressive-game award multiplier associated with the selected selectable element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of said plurality of selectable elements; and

revealing a progressive-game award multiplier associated with said selected selectable element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said certain number of fund pools comprises twenty five fund pools.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said progressive game multiplier ranges in value from between one and twenty five.

5. A method for playing wagering games with a progressive game, the method comprising:

in response to receiving, via one or more input devices, wager inputs from players, conducting wagering games in which said players are eligible to win said progressive game;

funding said progressive game by a portion of said wager inputs, said progressive game having a certain number of fund pools, each of said fund pools receiving a substantially equivalent share of said funding portion;

displaying, via a display device, a progressive-game award value that is substantially equivalent to an amount of one of said fund pools;

in response to a triggering of a progressive-award winning outcome, displaying to a player a plurality of selectable elements, each of said selectable elements being associated with a progressive-game award multiplier that increases said progressive-game award value to an enhanced-progressive-award value, said progressive game multiplier dictating the number of said fund pools to be used to award said enhanced-progressive-award value to said player;

receiving a selection of one of said plurality of selectable elements;

revealing a progressive-game award multiplier associated with said selected selectable element;

awarding said enhanced-progressive-award value;

aggregating a total value associated with said certain number of fund pools following said awarding said enhanced-progressive-award value; and

distributing the aggregated total value at least substantially equally between said certain number of fund pools.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said certain number of fund pools comprises twenty five fund pools, and wherein said progressive game multiplier ranges in value from between one and twenty five.

7. A method for playing wagering games at which players are eligible for a progressive game, the method comprising:

in response to receiving, via one or more input devices, wager inputs from said players, conducting wagering games in which said players are eligible to win said progressive game;

funding said progressive game by a portion of said wager inputs, said progressive game having a number of fund pools, said number being an integer between 2 and “

n”

, each of said fund pools receiving a substantially equivalent share of said funding portion;

displaying, via a display device, a progressive-game award that is substantially equivalent to an amount of a single one of said fund pools; and

in response to triggering a progressive game outcome, providing a player with a progressive-game multiplier that increases said progressive-game award to an enhanced-progressive-award value, said progressive-game multiplier being selected from a plurality of multipliers that have an integer value between 2 and “

n”

;

the displaying of the progressive-game award starting prior to displaying the provided progressive-game award multiplier.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of said plurality of selectable elements; and

revealing a progressive-game award multiplier associated with said selected selectable element.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said certain number of fund pools comprises twenty five fund pools.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said progressive game multiplier ranges in value from between one and twenty five.

11. A method for playing wagering games with a progressive game, the method comprising:

in response to receiving, via one or more input devices, wager inputs from players, conducting wagering games in which said players are eligible to win said progressive game;

funding said progressive game by a portion of said wager inputs, said progressive game having a number of fund pools, said number being an integer between 2 and “

n”

, each of said fund pools receiving a substantially equivalent share of said funding portion;

displaying, via a display device, a progressive-game award that is substantially equivalent to an amount of one of said fund pools;

in response to a triggering of a progressive game outcome, providing a player with a progressive-game multiplier that increases said progressive-game award to an enhanced-progressive-award value, said progressive-game multiplier being selected from a plurality of multipliers that have an integer value between 2 and “

n”

;

receiving a selection of one of said plurality of selectable elements;

revealing a progressive-game award multiplier associated with said selected selectable element;

awarding said enhanced-progressive-award value;

aggregating a total value associated with said certain number of fund pools following said awarding said enhanced-progressive-award value; and

distributing the aggregated total value at least substantially equally between said certain number of fund pools.

12. A method for structuring a progressive-award, the method comprising:

receiving wager inputs at a plurality of gaming machines;

providing a plurality of at least substantially equal progressive-award fund pools;

distributing a percentage of the wager inputs among said progressive-award fund pools;

displaying, via a display device, a progressive-game award that is substantially equivalent to an amount of only one of said progressive-award fund pools;

displaying, via the display device, a plurality of selectable elements, each of said selectable elements being related to a progressive-award multiplier;

receiving selection of a selectable element to reveal a concealed progressive-award multiplier;

displaying the select progressive-award multiplier; and

determining an enhanced progressive-award value by summing a value of a number of said progressive-award fund pools corresponding to said progressive-award multiplier.

13. A method for structuring a progressive-award according to claim 12, wherein each of said selectable elements conceals a progressive-award multiplier.

14. A method for structuring a progressive-award according to claim 13, further comprising:

awarding said enhanced progressive-award value.

15. A method for structuring a progressive-award, the method comprising:

receiving, via one or more input devices, wager inputs at a plurality of gaming machines;

providing a plurality of at least substantially equal progressive-award fund pools;

distributing a percentage of the wager inputs among said progressive-award fund pools;

displaying, via a display device, a plurality of selectable elements, each of said selectable elements being related to and concealing a progressive-award multiplier;

receiving selection of a selectable element to reveal a select progressive-award multiplier;

determining an enhanced progressive-award value by summing a value of a number of said progressive-award fund pools corresponding to said progressive-award multiplier;

awarding said enhanced progressive-award value;

aggregating a total remaining value associated with said progressive-award fund pools following said awarding of said enhanced progressive-award value; and

distributing the aggregated total value at least substantially equally among said progressive-award fund pools.

16. A method for structuring a progressive-award, the method comprising:

receiving wager inputs at a plurality of gaming machines;

providing a plurality of progressive-award fund pools;

displaying, via a display device, a progressive game award value substantially equal to an amount of a single one of said fund pools;

distributing a percentage of the wager inputs among said progressive-award fund pools;

displaying, via the display device, a plurality of selectable elements, each of said selectable elements being related to a concealed progressive-award enhancer;

receiving selection of a selectable element to reveal a concealed progressive-award enhancer;

displaying the progressive-award enhancer associated with the selected selectable element; and

determining an enhanced progressive-award value by summing a value of a number of said progressive-award fund pools corresponding to said progressive-award enhancer.

17. A method for structuring a progressive-award according to claim 16, wherein each of said selectable elements conceals a progressive-award enhancer.

18. A method for structuring a progressive-award according to claim 16, further comprising:

awarding said enhanced progressive-award value.

19. A method for structuring a progressive-award, the method comprising:

receiving wager inputs at a plurality of gaming machines;

providing a plurality of progressive-award fund pools;

displaying, via a display device, a progressive game award value substantially less than a cumulative value of said fund pools;

distributing a percentage of the wager inputs among said progressive-award fund pools;

displaying, via the display device, a plurality of selectable elements, each of said selectable elements being related to a progressive-award enhancer;

receiving selection of a selectable element to reveal a concealed progressive-award enhancer; and

determining an enhanced progressive-award value by summing a value of a number of said progressive-award fund pools corresponding to said progressive-award enhancer;

awarding said enhanced progressive-award value;

aggregating a total remaining value associated with said progressive-award fund pools following said awarding of said enhanced progressive-award value; and

distributing the aggregated total value at least substantially equally among said progressive-award fund pools.

20. A gaming system comprising:

a wager input device configured to receive a wager to play a wagering game;

a display configured to display a randomly selected outcome;

a controller operative to;

conduct a wagering game,

conduct a progressive game associated with the wagering game, the progressive game having a plurality of substantially equal fund pools each receiving a substantially equivalent portion of wager inputs received by the gaming system,

direct the display to display a progressive-game award value that is substantially equivalent to a single one of said fund pools,

determine if a progressive-award winning outcome is achieved in said wagering game,

direct the display to display a plurality of selectable elements, each of said selectable elements being related to a concealed progressive-award enhancer,

direct the display to display the progressive-award enhancer associated with a selected one of the selectable elements, and

determine an enhanced progressive-award value.

21. A gaming system according to claim 20, wherein said progressive-award enhancer comprises a progressive-award multiplier.

22. A gaming system according to claim 21, wherein said controller is further operative to determine said enhanced progressive-award value by summing a number of said progressive-award fund pools corresponding to a number of said progressive-award multiplier.

23. A gaming system according to claim 20, wherein said selectable elements comprise player-selectable elements.

24. A gaming system according to claim 20, wherein each of said selectable elements conceals a progressive-award multiplier associated therewith.