Progressive game eligibility and winning

• US 8,449,387 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Englman, Allon G, Jaffe, Joel R., Joshi, Shridhar P., Mastropietro, Michael W., Thomas, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERCE, DAMON JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/307,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20090270168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 463/27, 463/26, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes both enhanced as well as new ways of winning a progressive jackpot. New ways of becoming eligible for a progressive jackpot are also disclosed. In some embodiments, the reset amount, startup value, and funding percentage may be selected as needed to improve player excitement and anticipation. Players may also customize various aspects of the progressive game upon payment of a fee.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a first gaming machine including

a first wager input device for receiving a first wager input from a first player for playing a first wagering game, and

at least one first display operable to display a first outcome of said first wagering game and a first standard pay table therefor, said first outcome being randomly selected from a first plurality of outcomes, said first plurality of outcomes including at least one first progressive-eligibility outcome for a progressive jackpot, said progressive jackpot being associated with said first wagering game, said first progressive-eligibility outcome allowing said first player to be eligible for potentially winning said progressive jackpot; and

a second gaming machine including

a second wager input device for receiving a second wager input from a second player for playing a second wagering game; and

at least one second display operable to display a second outcome of said second wagering game and a second standard pay table therefor, said second outcome being randomly selected from a second plurality of outcomes, said second plurality of outcomes including at least one second progressive-eligibility outcome for said progressive jackpot, said progressive jackpot also being associated with said second wagering game, said second progressive-eligibility outcome allowing said second player to be eligible for potentially winning said progressive jackpot; and

wherein, in response to said first outcome at said first gaming machine being said at least one first progressive-eligibility outcome, and entirely independent of said playing of said second wagering game at said second gaming machine, said first standard pay table is converted to a first progressive pay table for said progressive jackpot at said first gaming machine but not at said second gaming machine, said first standard pay table and said first progressive pay table having at least one common winning symbol combination of one or more first winning symbol combinations; and

wherein, in response to said second outcome at said second gaming machine being said at least one second progressive-eligibility outcome, and entirely independent of said playing of said first wagering game at said first gaming machine, said second standard pay table is converted to a second progressive pay table for said progressive jackpot at said second gaming machine but not at said first gaming machine, said second standard pay table and said second progressive pay table having at least one common winning symbol combination of one or more second winning symbol combinations.

2. The gaming system according to claim 1,

wherein said first progressive-eligibility outcome triggers a predetermined first eligibility period and said first player is awarded a first award from said first progressive pay table for at least one wagering game outcome achieved during said first eligibility period;

and

wherein said second progressive-eligibility outcome triggers a predetermined second eligibility period and said second player is awarded a second award from said second progressive pay table for at least one wagering game outcome achieved during said second eligibility period.

3. The gaming system according to claim 1,

wherein said first progressive pay table and said first standard pay table use one or more different ones of said first winning symbol combinations;

and

wherein said second progressive pay table and said second standard pay table use one or more different ones of said second winning symbol combinations.

4. The gaming system according to claim 1,

wherein said first standard pay table and said first progressive pay table have a plurality of common winning symbol combinations of said first winning symbol combinations;

and

wherein said second standard pay table and said second progressive pay table have a plurality of common winning symbol combinations of said second winning symbol combinations.

5. The gaming system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first progressive pay table and said second progressive pay table includes several tiers of progressive jackpots, each tier being a multiple of an immediately preceding tier.

6. The gaming system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first progressive pay table and said second progressive pay table includes non-monetary awards.

7. The gaming system according to claim 6, wherein said non-monetary awards include one or more of the following:

player'"'"'s club points, credit multipliers, extra picks in a player-selection game, and additional spins in a free-spins game.

8. The gaming system according to claim 1,

wherein said first progressive-eligibility outcome includes a designated first game symbol, said first player becoming eligible for said progressive jackpot upon appearance of said first game symbol in said first wagering game;

and

wherein said second progressive-eligibility outcome includes a designated second game symbol, said second player becoming eligible for said progressive jackpot upon appearance of said second game symbol in said second wagering game.

9. A gaming system comprising:

wager input devices for receiving wager inputs from players for playing wagering games at respective ones of a plurality of linked gaming machines;

displays operable to display outcomes of said wagering games and standard pay tables at respective ones of said gaming machines, said outcomes being randomly selected from a plurality of outcomes, said plurality of outcomes including at least one progressive-eligibility outcome for a progressive jackpot, said progressive jackpot being associated with said wagering games, said progressive-eligibility outcome allowing a respective one of said players to be eligible for potentially winning said progressive jackpot; and

wherein, in response to said outcome at one of said gaming machines being said at least one progressive-eligibility outcome, and entirely independent of said playing of wagering games at other ones of said gaming machines, a corresponding one of said standard pay tables at said one of said gaming machines is converted to a progressive pay table for said progressive jackpot at said one of said gaming machines but not at other ones of said gaming machines, said one of said standard pay tables and said progressive pay table having at least one common winning symbol combination.

10. The gaming system according to claim 9, wherein said at least one progressive-eligibility outcome triggers a predetermined eligibility period and a respective one of said players is awarded an award from said progressive pay table for at least one wagering game outcome achieved during said eligibility period.

11. The gaming system according to claim 9, wherein said progressive pay table and said one of said standard pay tables use one or more different winning symbol combinations.

12. The gaming system according to claim 9, wherein said standard pay table and said progressive pay table have a plurality of common winning symbol combinations of said winning symbol combinations.

13. The gaming system according to claim 9, wherein said progressive pay table includes several tiers of progressive jackpots, each tier being a multiple of an immediately preceding tier.

14. The gaming system according to claim 9, wherein said progressive pay table includes non-monetary awards.

15. The gaming system according to claim 14, wherein said non-monetary awards include one or more of the following:

player'"'"'s club points, credit multipliers, extra picks in a player-selection game, and additional spins in a free-spins game.

16. The gaming system according to claim 9, wherein said at least one progressive-eligibility outcome includes a designated game symbol, a respective one of said players becoming eligible for said progressive jackpot upon appearance of said game symbol in respective one of said wagering games.

17. A method for conducting a wagering game on a plurality of linked gaming machines, the method comprising:

receiving, via a first wager input device of a first gaming machine, a first wager from a first player for playing a first wagering game;

displaying on a first display of said first gaming machine a first outcome of said first wagering game and a first standard pay table therefor;

randomly selecting said first outcome from a first plurality of outcomes, said first plurality of outcomes including at least one first progressive-eligibility outcome for a progressive jackpot, said progressive jackpot being associated with said first wagering game, said first progressive-eligibility outcome allowing said first player to be eligible for potentially winning said progressive jackpot;

receiving, via a second wager input device of a second gaming machine, a second wager from a second player for playing a second wagering game;

displaying on a second display of said second gaming machine a second outcome of said second wagering game and a second standard pay table therefor;

randomly selecting said second outcome from a second plurality of outcomes, said second plurality of outcomes including at least one second progressive-eligibility outcome for said progressive jackpot, said progressive jackpot being associated with said second wagering game, said second progressive-eligibility outcome allowing said second player to be eligible for potentially winning said progressive jackpot;

in response to said first outcome at said first gaming machine being said at least one first progressive-eligibility outcome, and entirely independent of said playing of said second wagering game at said second gaming machine, converting said first standard pay table into a first progressive pay table for said progressive jackpot at said first gaming machine but not at said second gaming machine, said first standard pay table and said first progressive pay table having at least one common winning symbol combination of one or more first winning symbol combinations; and

in response to said second outcome at said second gaming machine being said at least one second progressive-eligibility outcome, and entirely independent of said playing of said first wagering game at said first gaming machine, converting said second standard pay table into a second progressive pay table for said progressive jackpot at said second gaming machine but not at said first gaming machine, said second standard pay table and said second progressive pay table having at least one common winning symbol combination of one or more second winning symbol combinations.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising

triggering a predetermined first eligibility period in response to said first progressive-eligibility outcome;

awarding said first player a first award from said first progressive pay table for at least one wagering game outcome achieved during said first eligibility period;

triggering a predetermined second eligibility period in response to said second progressive-eligibility outcome; and

awarding said second player a second award from said second progressive pay table for at least one wagering game outcome achieved during said second eligibility period.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising

displaying one or more different ones of said first winning symbol combinations for said first progressive pay table and said first standard pay table;

and

displaying one or more different ones of said second winning symbol combinations for said second progressive pay table and said second standard pay table.

20. The method according to claim 17,

displaying for said first standard pay table and said first progressive pay table a plurality of common winning symbol combinations of said first winning symbol combinations;

and

displaying for said second standard pay table and said second progressive pay table a plurality of common winning symbol combinations of said second winning symbol combinations.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising displaying several tiers of progressive jackpots for at least one of said first progressive pay table and said second progressive pay table, each tier being a multiple of an immediately preceding tier.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising displaying non-monetary awards for at least one of said first progressive pay table and said second progressive pay table.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said non-monetary awards include one or more of the following:

player'"'"'s club points, credit multipliers, extra picks in a player-selection game, and additional spins in a free-spins game.

24. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

designating a first game symbol in said at least one first progressive-eligibility outcome;

upon appearance of said first game symbol, making said first player eligible for said progressive jackpot;

designating a second game symbol in said at least one second progressive-eligibility outcome; and

upon appearance of said second game symbol, making said second player eligible for said progressive jackpot.