Multi-player bingo game with optional progressive jackpot wager

• US 8,684,832 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Saffari, Ali M., Wolf, Bryan D., Michaelson, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERCE, DAMON JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/413,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20120165092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 26- 28, 463 40- 42, 463/25
• 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. 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. In another embodiment, the player may affirmatively elect to be eligible for the progressive jackpot by placing a wager or fee in addition to a wager on 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 of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

receiving an input for a wager from a player on an occurrence of a primary wagering game at an input device of a gaming unit;

causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to subtract an amount of the wager on the occurrence of the primary wagering game from an amount of credit available to the player at the gaming unit after receiving the input for the wager on the primary wagering game;

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to compare the amount of the wager on the occurrence of the primary wagering game to a minimum non-primary wagering game wager amount;

after and distinct from causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to subtract the amount of the wager on the occurrence of the primary wagering game from the amount of credit available to the player, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to subtract a progressive jackpot wager amount from the amount of credit available, said subtraction of the progressive jackpot wager amount from the amount of credit available occurring when the amount of the wager on the primary wagering game is greater than or equal to the minimum non-primary wagering game wager amount; and

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool associated with a secondary game when the amount of the wager on the primary wagering game is greater than or equal to the minimum non-primary wagering game wager amount.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary wagering game is a multi-player primary wagering game played by a plurality of players, wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for an occurrence of the primary wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of game indicia, wherein the player wins the occurrence of the wagering 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 an outcome of the occurrence of the primary wagering 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.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes generating an outcome of the occurrence of the primary wagering game, wherein the outcome is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome when the player matches a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome within a predetermined maximum number of sequentially selected game indicia.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to at least one of:

a predetermined wager amount and a predetermined percentage of the amount of the wager on the primary wagering game.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes causing at least one display device to display graphics corresponding to an outcome of the secondary game when the amount of the wager on the primary wagering game is greater than or equal to the minimum non-primary wagering game wager amount.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum non-primary wagering game wager amount is equal to a maximum wager amount that the player makes for the occurrence of the primary wagering game.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum non-primary wagering game wager amount is different than a minimum wager amount applied to another gaming unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to the progressive jackpot pool is independent of whether the player qualifies to win at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool.

9. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

receiving, at an input device, an input for a wager from a player on an occurrence of a wagering game at a gaming unit;

configuring the gaming unit to subtract an amount of the wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from an amount of credit available to the player at the gaming unit after receiving the input for the wager on the wagering game at the input device;

configuring the gaming unit to compare the amount of the wager on the occurrence of the wagering game to a minimum non-wagering game wager amount;

after and distinct from configuring the gaming unit to subtract the amount of the wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from the amount of credit available to the player, configuring the gaming unit to subtract a progressive jackpot wager amount from the amount of credit available, said subtraction of the progressive jackpot wager amount from the amount of credit available occurring when the wager on the wagering game is greater than or equal to the minimum non-wagering game wager amount; and

configuring the gaming unit to add the progressive jackpot wager amount to a progressive jackpot pool associated with a secondary game.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player wagering game played by a plurality of players, 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 game indicia, wherein the player wins the occurrence of the wagering 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 an outcome of the occurrence of the wagering 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.

11. The method of claim 9, which includes configuring the gaming unit to generate an outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game, wherein the outcome 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.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to at least one of:

a predetermined wager amount and a predetermined percentage of the amount of the wager on the wagering game.

13. The method of claim 9, which includes configuring the gaming unit to display graphics corresponding to an outcome of the secondary game at the gaming unit when the amount of the wager on the wagering game is greater than or equal to the minimum non-wagering game wager amount.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the minimum non-wagering game wager amount is equal to a maximum wager that the player makes for the occurrence of the wagering game.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the minimum non-wagering game wager amount is different than a minimum wager amount applied to another gaming unit.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein configuring the gaming unit to add the progressive jackpot wager amount is independent of whether the player qualifies to win a at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool.

17. A gaming system including a gaming network having a network computer and a plurality of gaming units, said gaming system comprising:

an input device configured to receive a plurality of input selections;

a currency-accepting mechanism configured to enable a player to deposit a medium of currency;

a value-dispensing mechanism that is capable of dispensing value to the player;

an output device;

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

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

the gaming unit controller being programmed to enable the input device to receive an input for a wager from the player on an occurrence of a wagering game,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract an amount of the wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from an amount of credit available to the player after receiving the input for the wager,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to compare the amount of the wager on the occurrence of the wagering game to a minimum non-wagering game wager amount,

the gaming unit controller being programmed to subtract a progressive jackpot wager amount for a secondary game from the amount of available credit to the player after determining that the wager on the wagering game is greater than or equal to the minimum non-wagering game wager amount, the subtraction of the progressive jackpot wager amount for the secondary game from the amount of available credit to the player occurring after and distinct from the subtraction of the amount of the wager on the occurrence of the wagering game from the amount of credit available to the player, and

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 when the amount of the wager on the wagering game is greater than or equal to the minimum non-wagering game wager amount.

18. The gaming unit of claim 17, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player wagering game played by a plurality of players, 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 game indicia, wherein the player wins the occurrence of the wagering 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 an outcome of the occurrence of the wagering 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.

19. The gaming unit of claim 17, wherein the gaming unit controller is programmed to generate an outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game, wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering 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.

20. The gaming unit of claim 17, wherein the progressive jackpot wager amount is equal to at least one of:

a predetermined wager amount and a predetermined percentage of the amount of the wager on the wagering game.

21. The gaming unit of claim 17, which includes 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 upon determining that the amount of the wager on the wagering game is greater than or equal to the minimum non-wagering game wager amount.

22. The gaming unit of claim 17, wherein the minimum non-wagering game wager amount is equal to a maximum wager that the player makes for the occurrence of the wagering game.

23. The gaming unit of claim 17, wherein the minimum non-wagering game wager amount is different than a minimum wager amount applied to another gaming unit.

24. The gaming unit of claim 17, wherein the addition is independent of whether the player qualifies to win at least a portion of the progressive jackpot pool.