Multi-player bingo game with progressive jackpots

• US 9,466,178 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• 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., Wanex, Diane, Michaelson, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US14/925,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20160071375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/20, 463/26, 463/39, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0645 Electric lottos or bingo games
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• 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 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

Methods and gaming units for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in a gaming network having a plurality of operatively coupled gaming units are described. A progressive jackpot award amount may be determined in part based on the amount of the player'"'"'s wager for the occurrence of the wagering game in relation to a maximum wager amount that may be made on one of the gaming units in the gaming network. The progressive jackpot pool may include a main pool and a reserve pool. Portions of players'"'"' wagers being added to the progressive jackpot pool may be apportioned between the main pool and the reserve pool based on calculation performed at the gaming network, with the apportionment being at least partially determined by the amount in the main pool.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a first gaming device including;

a first gaming device housing;

at least one first gaming device display device supported by the first gaming device housing;

a plurality of first gaming device input devices supported by the first gaming device housing, said plurality of first gaming device input devices including a first gaming device acceptor, and a first gaming device cashout device;

at least one first gaming device processor; and

at least one first gaming device memory device which stores a plurality of first gaming device instructions which when executed by the at least one first gaming device processor, cause the at least one first gaming device processor to operate with the at least one first gaming device display device and the plurality of first gaming device input devices to;

(a) if a first physical item is received via the first gaming device acceptor, establish a first gaming device credit balance based, at least in part, on a first monetary value associated with the received first physical item,

(b) receive one of a first plurality of wager amounts on a play of a first game, said first plurality of wager amounts including a first gaming device maximum wager amount, and

(c) if a cashout input is received via the first gaming device cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the first gaming device credit balance,

a second, different gaming device including;

a second gaming device housing;

at least one second gaming device display device supported by the second gaming device housing;

a plurality of second gaming device input devices supported by the second gaming device housing, said plurality of second gaming device input devices including a second gaming device acceptor, and a second gaming device cashout device;

at least one second gaming device processor; and

at least one second gaming device memory device which stores a plurality of second gaming device instructions which when executed by the at least one second gaming device processor, cause the at least one second gaming device processor to operate with the at least one second gaming device display device and the plurality of second gaming device input devices to;

(a) if a second physical item is received via the second gaming device acceptor, establish a second gaming device credit balance based, at least in part, on a second monetary value associated with the received second physical item,

(b) receive one of a second plurality of wager amounts on a play of a second game, said second plurality of wager amounts including a second gaming device maximum wager amount which is different from the first gaming device maximum wager amount, and

(c) if a cashout input is received via the second gaming device cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the second gaming device credit balance, and

at least one controller configured to operate with said first gaming device and said second gaming device to;

(a) if a first game outcome associated with the first gaming device is a predetermined progressive award winning outcome;

(i) determine a first gaming device progressive award amount based on an amount of a progressive pool and a ratio of the received wager amount on the play of the first game to a gaming system maximum wager amount selected between the first gaming device maximum wager amount and the second gaming device maximum wager amount, and

(ii) display the determined first gaming device progressive award amount, and

(b) if a second game outcome associated with the second gaming device is the predetermined progressive award winning outcome;

(i) determine a second gaming device progressive award amount based on the amount of the progressive pool and a ratio of the received wager amount on the play of the second game to the gaming system maximum wager amount, and

(ii) display the determined second gaming device progressive award amount.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game outcome includes a determined first outcome for the play of the first game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the second game outcome includes a determined second outcome for the play of the second game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game outcome includes a determined first secondary game outcome for a play of a first secondary game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the second game outcome includes a determined second secondary game outcome for the play of a second secondary game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to allocate a first portion of at least one of the received wager amounts to the progressive pool and allocate a second portion of the at least one of the received wager amounts to a reserve pool.

7. A gaming system server comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

(a) receive data associated with one of a first plurality of wager amounts placed on a play of a first game at a first gaming device, said first plurality of wager amounts including a first gaming device maximum wager amount, wherein a first credit balance is decreased based on the wager amount placed on the play of the first game, said first credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said first credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of any payout associated with the first credit balance,

(b) receive data associated with one of a second plurality of wager amounts placed on a play of a second game at a second gaming device, said second plurality of wager amounts including a second gaming device maximum wager amount which is different from the first gaming device maximum wager amount, wherein a second credit balance is decreased based on the wager amount placed on the play of the second game, said second credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said second credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of any payout associated with the second credit balance,

(c) if a first game outcome associated with the first gaming device is a predetermined progressive award winning outcome;

(i) determine a first gaming device progressive award amount based on an amount of a progressive pool and a ratio of the received wager amount on the play of the first game to a gaming system maximum wager amount selected between the first gaming device maximum wager amount and the second gaming device maximum wager amount, and

(ii) cause at least one display device of the first gaming device to display the determined first gaming device progressive award amount, and

(d) if a second game outcome associated with the second gaming device is the predetermined progressive award winning outcome;

(i) determine a second gaming device progressive award amount based on the amount of the progressive pool and a ratio of the received wager amount on the play of the second game to the gaming system maximum wager amount, and

(ii) cause at least one display device of the second gaming device to display the determined second gaming device progressive award amount.

8. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein the first game outcome includes a determined first outcome for the play of the first game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

9. The gaming system server of claim 8, wherein the second game outcome includes a determined second outcome for the play of the second game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

10. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein the first game outcome includes a determined first secondary game outcome for a play of a first secondary game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

11. The gaming system server of claim 10, wherein the second game outcome includes a determined second secondary game outcome for the play of a second secondary game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

12. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to allocate a first portion of at least one of the received wager amounts to the progressive pool and allocate a second portion of the at least one of the received wager amounts to a reserve pool.

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

(a) receiving data associated with one of a first plurality of wager amounts placed on a play of a first game at a first gaming device, said first plurality of wager amounts including a first gaming device maximum wager amount, wherein a first credit balance is decreased based on the wager amount placed on the play of the first game, said first credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said first credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of any payout associated with the first credit balance,

(b) receiving data associated with one of a second plurality of wager amounts placed on a play of a second game at a second gaming device, said second plurality of wager amounts including a second gaming device maximum wager amount which is different from the first gaming device maximum wager amount, wherein a second credit balance is decreased based on the wager amount placed on the play of the second game, said second credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said second credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of any payout associated with the second credit balance,

(c) if a first game outcome associated with the first gaming device is a predetermined progressive award winning outcome;

(i) causing at least one processor to determine a first gaming device progressive award amount based on an amount of a progressive pool and a ratio of the received wager amount on the play of the first game to a gaming system maximum wager amount selected between the first gaming device maximum wager amount and the second gaming device maximum wager amount, and

(ii) causing at least one display device of the first gaming device to display the determined first gaming device progressive award amount, and

(d) if a second game outcome associated with the second gaming device is the predetermined progressive award winning outcome;

(i) causing the at least one processor to determine a second gaming device progressive award amount based on the amount of the progressive pool and a ratio of the received wager amount on the play of the second game to the gaming system maximum wager amount, and

(ii) causing at least one display device of the second gaming device to display the determined second gaming device progressive award amount.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first game outcome includes a determined first outcome for the play of the first game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second game outcome includes a determined second outcome for the play of the second game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first game outcome includes a determined first secondary game outcome for a play of a first secondary game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second game outcome includes a determined second secondary game outcome for the play of a second secondary game being the predetermined progressive award winning outcome.

18. The method of claim 13, which includes causing the at least one processor to allocate a first portion of at least one of the received wager amounts to the progressive pool and allocate a second portion of the at least one of the received wager amounts to a reserve pool.

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

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.