Method, apparatus, and program product for controlling contributions to progressive prize pools
View Patent ↗A method for controlling contributions to a progressive prize pool includes randomly determining whether a progressive pool growth event is triggered for the given play input in a wagering game. Where it is determined that a progressive pool growth event is triggered, the contribution amount is determined and the progressive pool is increased by this contribution amount. Where multiple progressive pools are maintained in a system, additional steps are taken to identify which pool or pools are to be increased when a progressive pool growth event is triggered.
1. A method for controlling contributions to one or more progressive prize pools used for one or more wagering games, the method including:
(a) receiving a play input for a wagering game through a player input system of a gaming machine, the play input being associated with a wager for the wagering game;
(b) under control of one or more data processing devices associated with the gaming machine, causing a result display system of the gaming machine to display a representation of a result for the play input;
(c) under control of the one or more data processing devices associated with the gaming machine, and separately from a process of obtaining the result for the play input, randomly determining whether a progressive pool growth event is triggered for the play input;
(d) where the progressive pool growth event is triggered for the play input, applying a respective contribution amount to increase at least one of the one or more progressive prize pools;
(e) under control of the one or more data processing devices associated with the gaming machine, awarding any prize associated with the result for the play input; and
(f) under control of the one or more data processing devices associated with the gaming machine, awarding a progressive prize from at least one of the one or more progressive pools responsive to the occurrence of a progressive prize triggering event.
2. The method of claim 1 , and where the progressive pool growth event is triggered for the play input, further including, under control of the one or more data processing devices associated with the gaming machine, randomly identifying the respective contribution amount to be applied to increase the one or more progressive prize pools.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more progressive prize pools include at least two different progressive prize pools and wherein identifying the respective contribution amount to be applied to increase the one or more progressive prize pools also identifies which of the at least two different progressive prize pools are to be increased for the play input.
4. The method of claim 1 further including, under control of the one or more data processing devices, determining if the play input is eligible for providing a progressive pool contribution, and wherein determining whether the progressive pool growth event is triggered is performed in response to a determination that the play input is eligible for providing a progressive pool contribution.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the play input is eligible for providing the progressive prize pool contribution when the result obtained for the play input is not associated with a prize defined in a pay table for the wagering game.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more progressive prize pools include at least two different progressive prize pools and further including, under the control of the one or more processing devices, identifying which of the at least two different progressive prize pools are to be increased for the play input.
7. The method of claim 1 :
(a) further including determining if the wager is at a first wager level defined for the wagering game or is at a second wager level defined for the wagering game, the second wager level being different from the first wager level; and
(b) wherein a probability of making the respective contribution for the play input comprises a first probability value when the wager is at the first wager level and the probability of making the respective contribution for the play input comprises a second probability value when the wager is at the second wager level, the first probability value being unequal to the second probability value.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein a contribution apportionment for the play input determines an apportionment of the respective contribution amount for increasing at least two progressive prize pools for that play input.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein a first wager level and a second wager level are defined for the wagering game, the first wager level having a different value than a value of the second wager level, and the method further including:
(a) determining whether the wager is at the first wager level or the second wager level;
(b) selecting the respective contribution amount for the play input according to a first probability distribution when the wager is at the first wager level; and
(c) when the wager is at the second wager level, selecting the contribution amount for the play input according to a second probability distribution, different from the first probability distribution.
10. The method of claim 9 further including identifying a contribution apportionment for the play input which determines an apportionment of the respective contribution amount for at least two progressive prize pools.
11. An apparatus for controlling contributions to one or more progressive prize pools used for one or more wagering games, the apparatus including:
(a) a display system;
(b) a player input system;
(c) at least one processor; and
(d) at least one memory device storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to:
(i) receive a play input for a wagering game through the player input system, the play input being associated with a wager for the wagering game;
(ii) cause the display system to display a representation of a result for the play input;
(iii) separately from a process of obtaining the result for the play input, randomly determine whether a progressive pool growth event is triggered for the play input;
(iv) where the progressive pool growth event is triggered for the play input, increase at least one of the one or more progressive prize pools by a respective contribution amount;
(v) cause the display system to display an award of any prize associated with the result for the play input; and
(vi) responsive to the occurrence of a progressive prize triggering event, cause the display system to display an award of a progressive prize from at least one of the one or more progressive pools.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , where the progressive pool growth event is triggered for the play input, the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to identify the respective contribution amount by which to increase the at least one of the one or more progressive prize pools.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to determine if the play input is eligible for providing a progressive pool contribution, and determining whether the progressive pool growth event is triggered is performed in response to a determination that the play input is eligible for providing a progressive pool contribution.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to determine if the wager is at a first wager level defined for the wagering game or is at a second wager level defined for the wagering game, the second wager level being different from the first wager level, and wherein the probability of making the respective contribution for the play input comprises a first probability value when the wager is at the first wager level and the probability of making the respective contribution for the play input comprises a second probability value when the wager is at the second wager level.
15. A program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable data storage devices having program code stored thereon, the program code including:
(a) player input program code executable by at least one processor to receive a play input entered through a player input system of a gaming machine;
(b) game program code executable by the at least one processor to cause a result display system of the gaming machine to display a representation of a result for the play input;
(c) progressive pool control program code executable by the at least one processor to, separately from a process of obtaining the result for the play input, randomly determine whether a progressive pool growth event is triggered for the play input, and, where the progressive pool growth event is triggered, increase at least one of one or more progressive prize pools by a respective contribution amount;
(d) game payout program code executable by the at least one processor to award any prize associated with the result for the play input, the prize being awarded through the gaming machine; and
(e) progressive prize payout program code executable by the at least one processor to, responsive to the occurrence of a progressive prize triggering event, award a progressive prize from at least one of the one or more progressive prize pools.
16. The program product of claim 15 , where the progressive pool growth event is triggered for the play input, the progressive pool control program code is executable by the at least one processor to identify the respective contribution amount by which to increase the at least one of the one or more progressive prize pools.
17. The program product of claim 15 :
(a) wherein the progressive pool control program code is executable by the at least one processor to determine if the wager is at a first wager level defined for the wagering game or is at a second wager level defined for the wagering game, the second wager level being different from the first wager level; and
(b) wherein a probability of making the respective contribution for the play input comprises a first probability value when the wager is at the first wager level and the probability of making the respective contribution for the play input comprises a second probability value when the wager is at the second wager level.
18. The program product of claim 15 wherein the one or more progressive prize pools include at least two different progressive prize pools and wherein the progressive pool control program code is also executable to identify which of the at least two different progressive prize pools are to be increased for the play input.
19. The program product of claim 15 wherein a first wager level and a second wager level are defined for the wagering game, the first wager level having a different value than a value of the second wager level, and wherein the progressive pool control program code is executable by the at least one processor to:
(a) determine whether the wager is at the first wager level or the second wager level;
(b) select the respective contribution for the play input according to a first probability distribution when the wager is at the first wager level; and
(c) when the wager is at the second wager level, select the respective contribution amount for the play input from a second probability distribution, different from the first probability distribution.
20. The program product of claim 19 wherein the progressive pool control program code is executable by the at least one processor to determine if the play input is eligible for providing a progressive pool contribution, and wherein determining whether the progressive pool growth event is triggered is performed in response to a determination that the play input is eligible for providing a progressive pool contribution.