Gaming system and method for providing different bonus awards based on different types of triggered events
A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming devices. The central server tracks the occurrences of one or more suitable events occurring at or in association with one or more gaming devices in the gaming system. Upon the central server determining that the quantity of occurred events tracked has reached a designated quantity or threshold, (i.e., a triggering event has occurred), the gaming system provides a progressive award to one of the players at one of the gaming devices in the gaming system.
1. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including:
(i) at least one display device, and
(ii) at least one input device; and
at least one controller configured to communicate with each of said gaming devices, said at least one controller programmed to:
(a) maintain at least one progressive award,
(b) track occurrences of at least one randomly occurring designated event, wherein said tracked designated event is at least one of:
(i) a triggering of a play of a secondary game at one of the gaming devices,
(ii) an activation of a secondary display at one of the gaming devices, said activation of the secondary display being associated with a random selection of at least one of a plurality of secondary display awards,
(iii) an activation of a community award generator, said activation of the community award generator being associated with a random selection of at least one of a plurality of community awards,
(iv) a generation of any outcome in a secondary game at one of the gaming devices, and
(v) an amount of free activations provided at one of the gaming devices;
(b) regardless of any outcome of any play of any game of any of said gaming devices, determine if a quantity of occurrences of said tracked event is at least substantially equal to a designated quantity of occurrences of said tracked event, wherein said designated quantity of occurrences of said tracked event is at least two and said quantity of occurrences of said tracked event occurs over a plurality of plays of a plurality of primary games in association with a plurality of said gaming devices; and
(d) when the quantity of occurrences of said tracked event is at least substantially equal to the designated quantity of occurrences of said tracked event, cause one of said gaming devices to provide at least a proportion of said at least one progressive award to a player.
2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the proportion of the at least one progressive award provided to the player is based on a wager amount placed by the player.
3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the proportion of the at least one progressive award provided to the player is 100%.
4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said tracked event is independent of any value of any wager placed.
5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to track a plurality of events which each occur in association with the plurality of plays of said plurality of primary games of said plurality of gaming devices.
6. The gaming system of claim 5 , which includes a plurality of progressive awards, wherein each progressive award is associated with a different one of said plurality of tracked events.
7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one progressive award is funded, at least in part, based on any wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming devices.
8. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one progressive award is funded, at least in part, based on at least one side wager placed.
9. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including at least one controller in communication with a plurality of gaming devices, wherein each gaming machine includes at least one display device, and at least one input device, said method comprising:
(a) maintaining at least one progressive award;
(b) tracking occurrences of at least one randomly occurring designated event, wherein said tracked designated event is at least one of:
(i) a triggering of a play of a secondary game at one of the gaming devices,
(ii) an activation of a secondary display at one of the gaming devices, said activation of the secondary display being associated with a random selection of at least one of a plurality of secondary display awards,
(iii) an activation of a community award generator, said activation of the community award generator being associated with a random selection of at least one of a plurality of community awards,
(iv) a generation of any outcome in a secondary game at one of the gaming devices, and
(v) an amount of free activations provided at one of the gaming devices;
(c) regardless of any outcome of any play of any game of any of said gaming devices, determining if a quantity of occurrences of said tracked event is at least substantially equal to a designated quantity of occurrences of said tracked event, wherein said designated quantity of occurrences of said tracked event is at least two and said quantity of occurrences of said tracked event occurs over a plurality of plays of a plurality of primary games in association with a plurality of said gaming devices; and
(d) when the quantity of occurrences of said tracked event is at least substantially equal to the designated quantity of occurrences of said tracked event, causing one of said gaming devices to provide at least a proportion of said at least one progressive award to a player.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the proportion of the at least one progressive award provided to the player is based on a wager amount placed by the player.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the proportion of the at least one progressive award provided to the player is 100%.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said tracked event is independent of any value of any wager placed.
13. The method of claim 9 , which includes tracking a plurality of events which each occur in association with the plurality of plays of said plurality of primary games of said plurality of gaming devices.
14. The method of claim 13 , which includes a plurality of progressive awards, wherein each progressive award is associated with a different one of said plurality of tracked events.
15. The method of claim 9 , which includes funding said at least one progressive award, at least in part, based on any wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming devices.
16. The method of claim 9 , which includes funding said at least one progressive award, at least in part, based on at least one side wager placed.
17. The method of claim 9 , which is provided through a data network.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the data network is an internet.