INCENTING INCREASED WAGER SIZES
Example methods and systems for facilitating the play of a wagering game are provided with one or more progressive jackpots. The example methods and systems may have a better than linear increases in the probability of winning depending on increasing wager price points.
1 . A method of facilitating the operation of a wagering game with a progressive jackpot, comprising:
receiving a player selection of a wager price point from a plurality of available price points for the wagering game;
conditioned on receiving the player selection of the wager price point, entering the player into a round of a base wagering game;
conditioned on the player selection of the wager price point exceeding a first predetermined threshold, also entering the player into a progressive jackpot game; and
conditioned on the player selection of the wager price point exceeding a second predetermined threshold, which is higher than the first predetermined threshold, also entering the player into a second progressive jackpot game.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to the player selection of the wager price point exceeding the first predetermined threshold or the second predetermined threshold, generating at least one entry number, where a prize awarded for the game depends at least in part on the at least one entry number.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a selection of at least one entry number from the player, wherein award of a prize for the round of the base wagering game depends at least in part on the at least one entry number.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
randomly generating at least one outcome number, wherein award of a prize for the round of the base wagering game depends on the at least one outcome number.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base wagering game is a number selection game, and further comprising:
receiving a selection of at least one entry number from the player chosen from a set of numbers,
generating at least one outcome number chosen from the set of numbers,
awarding a prize for the round of the base wagering game based on the quantity of entry numbers that match outcome numbers.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the set of numbers includes 80 numbers; and
the outcome numbers include 20 numbers selected from the set of numbers.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the base wagering game is a number selection game, further comprising:
awarding the first progressive jackpot and the second progressive jackpot based on the at least one outcome number used in the base wagering game.
8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the base wagering game is a number selection game, further comprising:
awarding the first progressive jackpot based on a second number drawing separate from the base wagering game; and
awarding the second progressive jackpot based on a third number drawing separate from the base wagering game and the first progressive jackpot game.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first progressive jackpot is a jurisdiction-wide progressive jackpot.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first progressive jackpot is a multi-jurisdiction progressive jackpot.
11 . A method of providing a wagering game with a progressive jackpot, comprising:
receiving a player selection of a wager price point;
responsive to receiving a selection of a first price point, entering the player into a base wagering game;
responsive to receiving a selection of a wager price point exceeding a second price point, higher than the first price point, entering the player into a progressive jackpot; and
responsive to receiving a selection of a wager price point exceeding of a third price point, higher than the second price point, entering the player into the progressive jackpot; wherein:
a probability of winning the progressive jackpot associated with the entry exceeding the third price point, is greater than a second probability of winning associated with the entry exceeding the second price point but less than the third price point, and
an increase in probability between the probability and the second probability is non-linear as compared to an increase in price between the second price point and the third price point.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the wagering game is a number selection game, and the method further comprising:
receiving a selection of at least one selected entry number chosen from a set of numbers;
receiving a selection of at least one randomly selected outcome number chosen from the set of numbers; and
awarding a prized based on how many selected entry numbers match outcome numbers.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving a selection of the second price point, issuing at least one player entry number and randomly selecting at least one outcome number, wherein the quantity of outcome numbers is greater than or equal to the quantity of player entry numbers; and
awarding the progressive jackpot responsive to a determination that each player entry number matches an outcome number.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving a selection of a price point exceeding the third price point, issuing at least one player entry number and selecting at least one outcome number, wherein the quantity of outcome numbers is greater than or equal to the quantity of player numbers and the quantity of entry numbers is less than a second quantity of entry numbers associated with the second price point; and
awarding the progressive jackpot responsive to a determination that each player number matches a operator number.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the set of numbers includes 80 numbers; and
the outcome numbers include 20 numbers.
16 . A system for facilitating a number selection game with a progressive jackpot, comprising:
an input device configured to receive a player selection of a wager amount chosen from a set of available wager amounts;
a processor; and
an output device configured to inform the player of at least one winning number; wherein:
the processor is configured to receive at least one entry number, to receive randomly generated outcome numbers; and to determine whether a wager is a winner based on the at least one entry number and the randomly generated outcome numbers, the probability of a winning wager increasing more than linearly with the chosen wager amount.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the input device is configured to accept paper tickets marked with the at least one number and the player selection of the wager amount.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the input device is an electronic kiosk configured to be operated by at least one of the player and a retail clerk, the input device configured to receive input indicating the at least one entry number and the player selection of the wager amount.
19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the processor is further configured to randomly choose the outcome numbers.
20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the processor is further configured to enter the player in a progressive jackpot game responsive to the selection of a first wager amount and the processor is configured to issue at least one first set of numbers on which an award of a progressive jackpot depends; and
the processor is further configured to enter the player in the progressive jackpot game responsive to the selection of a second wager amount, greater than the first wager amount, and the processor is configured to issue at least one second set of numbers, of a lesser quantity than the first set of numbers, on which an award of the progressive jackpot depends.
21 . The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the processor is further configured to enter the player in a progressive jackpot game, responsive to a first wager amount being selected which is greater than a minimum wager amount; and
the processor is further configured to enter the player in a second progressive jackpot game responsive to a second wager amount being selected which is greater than a second minimum wager amount, the second minimum wager amount being greater than the minimum wager amount.
22 . A method of providing a number selection game with a progressive jackpot, comprising:
receiving a selection of a wager price point from a player;
responsive to the wager price point being greater than or equal to a first price point, entering the player in a number selection game;
responsive to the wager price point being greater than or equal to a second price point that is greater than the first price point, issuing the player a first quantity of numbers such that winning a jurisdiction-wide progressive jackpot game is dependant on the numbers in the first quantity of numbers;
responsive to the wager price point being greater than or equal to a third price point, that is greater than the second price point, issuing the player a second quantity of numbers, smaller than the first quantity of numbers, such that winning a jurisdiction-wide progressive jackpot game is dependent on the numbers in the second quantity of numbers;
responsive to the wager price point being greater than or equal to a fourth price point, greater than the third price point, making the first quantity of numbers eligible for a multi-jurisdiction progressive jackpot; and
responsive to the wager price point being greater than or equal to a fifth price point, greater than the fourth price point, making the second quantity of numbers eligible for a multi-jurisdiction progressive jackpot.
23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
selecting from a set of numbers some final quantity of numbers; and
determining winners based on matching the numbers in the first or second quantity of numbers with the final quantity of numbers.
24 . A system for facilitating the operation of a game;
an input means for receiving a player selection of a wager amount and player entry numbers;
an entry means for entering the player's wager in the game, the player entry including additional chances to win conditioned on the player's wager exceeding predetermined thresholds;
a randomization means for generating outcome numbers;
an outcome determination means for determining whether the player's wager wins a base game based on a comparison of the entry numbers and the outcome numbers.
25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the additional chances to win include entries in jurisdiction-wide progressive games.
26 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the additional chances to win include entries in multi-jurisdiction progressive games.
27 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the selection of a wager price point from a player is received by at least one of a dedicated gaming kiosk, a clerk-operated gaming terminal, a clerk-operated point-of-sale terminal, an unattended game ticket vending machine, a personal computer connected over the Internet to a lottery server, and a mobile telephone wirelessly connected to a lottery server.
28 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the player selection of a wager price point is received by at least one of a dedicated gaming kiosk, a clerk-operated gaming terminal, a clerk-operated point-of-sale terminal, an unattended game ticket vending machine, a personal computer connected over the Internet to a lottery server, and a mobile telephone wirelessly connected to a lottery server.
29 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the player selection of a wager price point is received by at least one of a dedicated gaming kiosk, a clerk-operated gaming terminal, a clerk-operated point-of-sale terminal, an unattended game ticket vending machine, a personal computer connected over the Internet to a lottery server, and a mobile telephone wirelessly connected to a lottery server.
30 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the least one outcome number is randomly generated by at least one of a software pseudo-random number generator on a gaming server, a firmware based pseudo-random number generator on a gaming server, a hardware based random number generator in communication with a gaming server, and a software pseudo-random number generator on gaming terminal.
31 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one randomly selected outcome number chosen from the set of numbers is selected using at least one of a software pseudo-random number generator on a gaming server, a firmware based pseudo-random number generator on a gaming server, a hardware based random number generator in communication with a gaming server, and a software pseudo-random number generator on gaming terminal.
32 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the final quantity of numbers are selected by at least one of a software pseudo-random number generator on a gaming server, a firmware based pseudo-random number generator on a gaming server, a hardware based random number generator in communication with a gaming server, and a software pseudo-random number generator on gaming terminal.