Gaming system and methods of providing an award to a player
A system for providing an award to a player is described herein. The system includes a plurality of gaming devices and a controller coupled to each of the gaming devices. Each gaming device is configured to receive a wager from a player and responsively display a game. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a wager being received by at least one of the gaming devices, determine a range of award numbers as a function of at least one previous wager, randomly select an award number from the range of award numbers, and responsively provide an award to the player being associated with the at least one gaming device as a function of the randomly selected award number.
1. A networked computer system for providing progressive awards to players, comprising:
a system computer coupled to a plurality of gaming devices via the Internet, each gaming device programmed to execute a gaming program to display a game and allow a player to place wagers on the game, the system computer including a processor coupled to a memory device, the processor programed to:
receive a signal indicative of a wager being received by at least one of the gaming devices;
determine a previous wager value as a function of a total amount of previous wagers received since a previous progressive award has been provided;
determine a current range of award numbers by reducing a predefined range of award numbers by the previous wager value;
randomly select an award number from the current range of award numbers;
determine a current wager value associated with the received wager and determine a subset of numbers within the current range of award numbers as a function of the current wager value; and
provide the progressive award to a player associated with the at least one gaming device if the selected award number is within the determined subset of numbers.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the current range of award numbers including a current minimum range value equal to the sum of the previous wager value and a minimum range value of the predefined range of numbers.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the current range of award numbers including a current maximum range value equal to the difference between a maximum range value of the predefined range of numbers and the previous wager value.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the subset of numbers by adding the current wager value to a current minimum range value of the current range of award numbers.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the predefined range of award numbers includes a maximum range value equal to a maximum amount of total wagers that may be received prior to awarding the progressive award.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein, upon determining that the progressive award is not provided, the processor is programmed to determine a modified range of award numbers for use with a subsequent game by reducing the current range of award numbers by the current wager value associated with the received wager.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
receive a signal indicating a second wager being placed on a second game;
randomly select a second award number from the modified range of award numbers;
determine a second subset of numbers within the modified range of award numbers as a function of the second wager; and
provide the progressive award to the player if the selected second award number is within the second subset of numbers.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gaming device includes at least one of a smartphone, a personal computer, a laptop, and a tablet computer.
9. A method of operating a networked computer system to provide progressive awards to players, the networked computer system including a system computer coupled to a plurality of gaming devices via the Internet, each gaming device programmed to execute a gaming program to display a game and allow a player to place wagers on the game, the system computer including a processor coupled to a memory device, the method including the processor performing the steps of:
receiving a signal indicative of a wager being received by at least one of the gaming devices;
determining a previous wager value as a function of a total amount of previous wagers received since a previous progressive award has been provided;
determining a current range of award numbers by reducing a predefined range of award numbers by the previous wager value;
randomly selecting an award number from the current range of award numbers;
determining a current wager value associated with the received wager and determining a subset of numbers within the current range of award numbers as a function of the current wager value; and
providing the progressive award to the player if the selected award number is within the determined subset of numbers.
10. The method of claim 9 , including the processor performing the steps of determining the current range of award numbers including a current minimum range value equal to the sum of the previous wager value and a minimum range value of the predefined range of numbers.
11. The method of claim 9 , including the processor performing the steps of determining the current range of award numbers including a current maximum range value equal to the difference between a maximum range value of the predefined range of numbers and the previous wager value.
12. The method of claim 9 , including the processor performing the steps of determining the subset of numbers by adding the current wager value to a current minimum range value of the current range of award numbers.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predefined range of award numbers includes a maximum range value equal to a maximum amount of total wagers that may be received prior to awarding the progressive award.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein, upon determining that the progressive award is not provided, the processor performs the steps of:
determining a modified range of award numbers for use in a second instance of the game by reducing the current range of award numbers by the current wager value associated with the received wager;
receiving a signal from the user input device indicating a second wager being placed on the second instance of the game;
randomly selecting a second award number from the modified range of award numbers;
determining a second subset of numbers within the modified range of award numbers as a function of the second wager; and
providing the progressive award to the player if the selected second award number is within the second subset of numbers.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one gaming device includes at least one of a smartphone, a personal computer, a laptop, and a tablet computer.
16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to function as:
a system computer coupled to a plurality of gaming devices via the Internet, each gaming device programmed to execute a gaming program to display a game and allow a player to place wagers on the game, the system computer including a processor coupled to a memory device, the processor programed to:
receive a signal indicative of a wager being received by at least one of the gaming devices;
determine a previous wager value as a function of a total amount of previous wagers received since a previous progressive award has been provided;
determine a current range of award numbers by reducing a predefined range of award numbers by the previous wager value;
randomly select an award number from the current range of award numbers;
determine a current wager value associated with the received wager and determine a subset of numbers within the current range of award numbers as a function of the current wager value; and
provide the progressive award to a player associated with the at least one gaming device if the selected award number is within the determined subset of numbers.
17. The one or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 16 , wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to determine the current range of award numbers including a current minimum range value equal to the sum of the previous wager value and a minimum range value of the predefined range of numbers.
18. The one or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 16 , wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to determine the current range of award numbers including a current maximum range value equal to the difference between a maximum range value of the predefined range of numbers and the previous wager value.
19. The one or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 16 , wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to determine the subset of numbers by adding the current wager value to a current minimum range value of the current range of award numbers.
20. The one or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 16 , wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:
receive a signal indicating a second wager being placed on a second game;
randomly select a second award number from the modified range of award numbers;
determine a second subset of numbers within the modified range of award numbers as a function of the second wager; and
provide the progressive award to the player if the selected second award number is within the second subset of numbers.