Wagering game method, gaming machine, gaming system, and program product providing local and group progressive prizes

摘要

A progressive prize method for a group of linked gaming machines includes maintaining both a respective local progressive pool for each respective gaming machine in the group and a group progressive pool shared among the group of gaming machines. A local progressive prize trigger is used to determine when a progressive prize is to be awarded from a local progressive pool and a separate group progressive trigger is used to determine when a progressive prize is to be awarded from the group progressive pool. The group progressive trigger may be based on a count of local progressive prizes that have been awarded. Thus a local progressive trigger may ultimately result in the award of a progressive prize from the group progressive pool rather than the respective local progressive pool.

主权项

1. A progressive prize method for a group of linked gaming machines, each gaming machine in the group including a player input system adapted to receive wagers at the respective gaming machine, the player input system including a currency/voucher acceptor the method including:
(a) for each qualifying wager received at a respective gaming machine in the group of gaming machines, incrementing a local progressive meter specific to that respective gaming machine by a first percentage of the qualifying wager and incrementing a group progressive meter by a second percentage of the qualifying wager, the local progressive meter being specific to the respective gaming machine at which the qualifying wager is received and the group progressive meter being specific to the group of gaming machines so that a qualifying wager at a respective gaming machine increments its respective local progressive meter and the group progressive meter, but does not increment the local progressive meter of any other gaming machine in the group of gaming machines; (b) responsive to reaching a local trigger value at any of the local progressive meters for the group of gaming machines, incrementing a win meter to maintain a group progressive win count; (c) if the win meter does not reach a group trigger value according to the step at element (b), (i) awarding a local progressive prize at the respective gaming machine which reached the local trigger value, (ii) decrementing the local progressive meter by the amount of the local progressive prize, the local progressive prize comprising an amount from the local progressive meter value for that respective gaming machine, and (iii) retaining the group progressive win count of the win meter to be incremented further in accordance with the step at element (b); and (d) if the group progressive win count reaches the group trigger value according to the step at element (b), (i) awarding a group progressive prize at the respective gaming machine which reached the local trigger value, the group progressive prize comprising an amount from the group progressive meter, and (ii) decrementing the group progressive meter by the amount of the awarded group progressive prize.