Gaming system and method for enabling a player to select progressive awards to try for and chances of winning progressive awards

• US 9,092,941 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Cohen, Alexander C., Ferry, Tonja M., Koby, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US13/782,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20130178260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a gaming device, a gaming system and a method for operating a gaming device or gaming system with a plurality of progressive awards. The gaming device enables a player to select one of the progressive awards. The player'"'"'s selection of which progressive award to play for is based, at least in part, on a relative probability of the player winning the selected progressive award compared to the relative probabilities of the player winning the non-selected progressive awards. After selecting which award to play for, the gaming device either provides the selected progressive award to the player or modifies the relative probability that the player will win the selected progressive award with one or more of any award selections remaining. Such a configuration enables the player to strategically select which award to play for and the order that the player will play for the awards.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing at least one controller to operate with a plurality of gaming machines to display an indication of a plurality of different progressive award values, each of the progressive award values associated with a greater than zero probability of being provided if said progressive award value is selected, and each of the progressive award values associated with a separate, supplemental award value; and

causing said at least one controller to operate with said plurality of gaming machines to;

after an occurrence of a random event following a placement of a wager;

(a) enable a player to select one of the progressive award values;

(b) determine whether to provide the selected progressive award value to the player;

(c) if the determination is to provide the selected progressive award value to the player, provide the selected progressive award value to the player, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on the selected progressive award value, said credit balance being;

(i) increasable via;

 

(A) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and

 

(B) a validator configured to identify the physical item, and

(ii) decreasable via;

 

(A) a cashout device, and

 

(B) the placement of the wager; and

(d) if the determination is not to provide the selected progressive award value to the player, add the supplemental award value associated with the selected progressive award value to the selected progressive award value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability associated with one of the progressive award values is higher than the probability associated with another one of the progressive award values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award value to the player is based on the probability associated with the selected progressive award value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award value to the player is based, at least in part, on at least one quantifiable input made by the player in association with a play of a skill-based game.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award value to the player is based, at least in part, on at least one quantifiable input made by the player in association with a play of a strategy-based game.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one controller to operate with said plurality of gaming machines to:

(i) maintain a designated progressive award value having a progressive award hit value, said designated progressive award value being separate from the indicated plurality of progressive award values; and

(ii) provide said designated progressive award value to one of a plurality of players of the gaming machines if the designated progressive award value increments to the progressive award hit value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the designated progressive award value is configured to increment based, at least in part, on a plurality of wagers placed on a plurality of plays of at least one wagering game.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the progressive award values is configured to increment based, at least in part, on a plurality of wagers placed on a plurality of plays of at least one wagering game.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of progressive award values is funded, at least in part, based on a side wager.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each supplemental award value is a static award value.

11. The method of claim 1, which is provided through a data network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data network is an internet.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

(i) the plurality of maintained progressive awards includes a third progressive award;

(ii) said third progressive award has a higher reset value than said first progressive award and said second progressive award;

(iii) said third progressive award is associated with a third, greater than zero probability of being provided if said third progressive award is selected, said first probability is higher than the third probability, and said second probability is higher than the third probability; and

(iv) said third progressive award is associated with a third supplemental award having a third value greater than zero, and said third value is higher than the second value.

13. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing at least one controller to operate with a plurality of gaming machines to;

(a) maintain a plurality of progressive awards at least including a first progressive award and a second, different progressive award;

(i) said second progressive award having a higher reset value than said first progressive award;

(ii) said first progressive award associated with a first, greater than zero probability of being provided if said first progressive award is selected;

(iii) said second progressive award associated with a second, different greater than zero probability of being provided if said second progressive award is selected, said first probability being higher than the second probability;

(iv) said first progressive award associated with a first supplemental award having a first value greater than zero; and

(v) said second progressive award associated with a second supplemental award having a second value greater than zero, said second value being higher than the first value;

(b) display an indication of the first progressive award and the second progressive award; and

(c) after an occurrence of a random event following a placement of a wager;

(i) enable a player to select one of the progressive awards;

(ii) determine whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player;

(iii) if the determination is to provide the selected progressive award to the player, provide the selected progressive award to the player, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on the selected progressive award, said credit balance being;

(A) increasable via;

 

(I) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and

 

(II) a validator configured to identify the physical item, and

(B) decreasable via;

 

(I) a cashout device, and

 

(II) the placement of the wager; and

(iv) if the determination is not to provide the selected progressive award to the player, add the value of the supplemental award associated with the selected progressive award to a value of the selected progressive award.

15. The method of claim 13, which includes causing said at least one controller to operate with said plurality of gaming machines to:

(i) maintain, separate from the plurality of progressive awards, a designated progressive award having a progressive award hit value and;

(ii) provide said designated progressive award to one of a plurality of players of the gaming machines if a value of said designated progressive award increments to the progressive award hit value.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the designated progressive award is configured to increment based, at least in part, on a plurality of wagers placed on a plurality of plays of at least one wagering game.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the progressive awards is configured to increment based, at least in part, on a plurality of wagers placed on a plurality of plays of at least one wagering game.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player is based on the probability associated with the selected progressive award.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player is based, at least in part, on at least one quantifiable input made by the player in association with a play of a skill-based game.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player is based, at least in part, on at least one quantifiable input made by the player in association with a play of a strategy-based game.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of progressive awards is funded, at least in part, based on a side wager.

22. The method of claim 13, which is provided through a data network.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the data network is an internet.

24. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing at least one processor to operate with at least one input device and at least one display device, after an occurrence of a random event following a placement of a wager, to;

(a) display an indication of a plurality of different progressive award values, each of the progressive award values associated with a greater than zero probability of being provided if said progressive award value is selected, and each of the progressive award values associated with a separate supplemental award value;

(b) enable a player to select one of the progressive award values;

(c) determine whether to provide the selected progressive award value to the player;

(d) if the determination is to provide the selected progressive award value to the player, provide the selected progressive award value to the player, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on the selected progressive award value, said credit balance being;

(i) increasable via;

(A) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and

(B) a validator configured to identify the physical item, and (

ii) decreasable via;

(A) a cashout device, and

(B) the placement of the wager; and

(e) if the determination is not to provide the selected progressive award value to the player, add the supplemental award value associated with the selected progressive award value to the selected progressive award value.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the probability associated with one of the progressive award values is higher than the probability associated with another one of the progressive award values.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award value to the player is based on the probability associated with the selected progressive award value.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award value to the player is based, at least in part, on at least one quantifiable input made by the player in association with a play of a skill-based game.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award value to the player is based, at least in part, on at least one quantifiable input made by the player in association with a play of a strategy-based game.

29. The method of claim 24, which includes causing the at least one processor to:

(i) maintain a designated progressive award value having a progressive award hit value, said designated progressive award value being separate from the indicated plurality of progressive award values; and

(ii) provide said designated progressive award value to one of a plurality of players of the gaming machines if the designated progressive award value increments to the progressive award hit value.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the designated progressive award value is configured to increment based, at least in part, on a plurality of wagers placed on a plurality of plays of at least one wagering game.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein each of the progressive award values is configured to increment based, at least in part, on a plurality of wagers placed on a plurality of plays of at least one wagering game.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one of the plurality of progressive award values is funded, at least in part, based on a side wager.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein each supplemental award value is a static award value.

34. The method of claim 24, which is provided through a data network.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the data network is an internet.

36. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing at least one processor to operate with at least one input device and at least one display device, after an occurrence of a random event following a placement of a wager, to;

(a) display an indication of a plurality of progressive awards at least including a first progressive award and a second progressive award;

(i) said second progressive award having a higher reset value than said first progressive award;

(ii) said first progressive award associated with a first, greater than zero probability of being provided if said first progressive award is selected;

(iii) said second progressive award associated with a second, different greater than zero probability of being provided if said second progressive award is selected, said first probability being higher than the second probability;

(iv) said first progressive award associated with a first supplemental award having a first value greater than zero; and

(v) said second progressive award associated with a second supplemental award having a second value greater than zero, said second value being higher than the first value;

(b) enable a player to select one of the progressive awards;

(c) determine whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player;

(d) if the determination is to provide the selected progressive award to the player, provide the selected progressive award to the player, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on the selected progressive award, said credit balance being;

(i) increasable via;

(A) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and

(B) a validator configured to identify the physical item, and

(ii) decreasable via;

(A) a cashout device, and

(B) the placement of the wager; and

(e) if the determination is not to provide the selected progressive award to the player, communicate data to a controller, said data associated with the supplemental award associated with the selected progressive award.

37. The method of claim 36, which includes causing the at least one processor after the occurrence of the random event, to indicate a third progressive award, wherein:

(i) said third progressive award has a higher reset value than said first progressive award and said second progressive award;

(ii) said third progressive award is associated with a third, greater than zero probability of being provided if said third progressive award is selected, said first probability is higher than the third probability, and said second probability is higher than the third probability; and

(iii) said third progressive award is associated with a third supplemental award having a third value greater than zero, said third value is higher than the second value.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player is based on the probability associated with the selected progressive award.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player is based, at least in part, on at least one quantifiable input made by the player in association with a play of a skill-based game.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the determination of whether to provide the selected progressive award to the player is based, at least in part, on at least one quantifiable input made by the player in association with a play of a strategy-based game.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein each of the progressive awards is configured to increment based, at least in part, on a plurality of wagers placed on a plurality of plays of at least one wagering game.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein said communicated data is associated with an addition of the value of the supplemental award associated with the selected progressive award to a value of the progressive award.

43. The method of claim 36, which is provided through a data network.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the data network is an internet.