Gaming system having multiple progressive awards and a bonus game available in a base game operable upon a wager
A gaming system and method disclosed herein enable a plurality of players to play for and attempt to win at least one progressive award and a bonus game. The gaming system includes a central controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines. The central controller maintains a plurality of progressive awards associated with the gaming machines. Each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player. Upon a determination that a designated one of the progressive awards will be provided, based on at least one play of the primary games, the central controller causes one of the gaming machines to provide the designated progressive award to the player of such gaming machine. Each gaming machine is also associated with a bonus game operable upon a triggering event in the primary game.
1. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each of the gaming machines including at least one display device configured to operate to display a primary game upon a placement of a wager; and
a controller configured to operate with the gaming machines to:
(a) for each of a plurality of players simultaneously playing the primary games of the gaming machines:
(i) accumulate a quantity of a first game event which randomly occurs in association with at least one of a plurality of plays of the primary game played by said player, and
(ii) accumulate a quantity of a second, different game event which randomly occurs in association with at least one of the plurality of plays of the primary game played by said player,
(b) if the accumulated quantity of the randomly occurring first game event reaches a first designated quantity of at least one for a first one of the players, independent of any accumulation of any quantity of the randomly occurring second, different game event provide a first award to the first one of the players, and
(c) if the accumulated quantity of the randomly occurring second game event reaches a second designated quantity of at least one for a second one of the players, independent of any accumulation of any quantity of the randomly occurring first game event, provide a second, different award to the second one of the players.
2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first award is a progressive award and the second award is a bonus award.
3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to maintain a plurality of progressive awards in association with the primary games.
4. The gaming system of claim 3 , wherein each of the progressive awards is associated with a different designated quantity of one of the randomly occurring game events and for each of the randomly occurring game events, if the accumulated quantity of said randomly occurring game event reaches one of the different designated quantities for one of the players, the progressive award associated with the designated quantity is provided to the player.
5. The gaming system of claim 3 , wherein each of the progressive awards is associated with a designated quantity of a different randomly occurring game event.
6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first game event and the second game event is based on a symbol or a symbol combination generated in association with at least one of the primary games.
7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to maintain a plurality of individual player accounts associated with the players, each individual player account including the quantity of the randomly occurring game events accumulated for the individual player.
8. The gaming system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming machines to associate a plurality of sub-symbols with the primary games, at least one of the first game event and the second game event including a generation of one of the sub-symbols.
9. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the accumulation of the quantity of the randomly occurring game events occurs in different games.
10. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the randomly occurring game events are associated with a group, and if a designated quantity of the randomly occurring game events are accumulated in the group for one of the players, a third, different award is provided to the player.
11. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each of the gaming machines including at least one display device configured to operate to display a primary game, the primary game configured to operate upon placement of a wager; and
a controller configured to operate with the gaming machines in a plurality of plays of the primary games to:
(a) for each of a plurality of players, accumulate a quantity of game events which randomly occur in association with at least one of a plurality of plays of the primary game played by the player, the game events including a first randomly occurring game event and a second, different randomly occurring game event and the quantity of randomly occurring game events is based on an amount of the wager placed such that a first quantity of game events are accumulated if a designated game event randomly occurs and a first wager amount is placed and a second, different quantity of game events are accumulated if the designated game event randomly occurs and a second, different wager amount is placed,
(b) if the accumulated quantity of randomly occurring first game events reaches a designated quantity of at least one for a first one of the players, independent of any accumulation of any quantity of the randomly occurring second, different game event, provide a first award to the first one of the players, and
(c) if the accumulated quantity of randomly occurring second, different game events reaches a designated quantity of at least one for a second one of the players, independent of any accumulation of any quantity of the randomly occurring first game event, provide a second, different award to the second one of the players.
12. The gaming system of claim 11 , wherein the first game event includes a generation of a first symbol combination and the second, different game event includes a generation of a second, different symbol combination.
13. The gaming system of claim 11 , wherein the first award is a progressive award and the second, different award is a bonus award.
14. The gaming system of claim 11 , wherein each of the gaming machines is configured to accumulate a quantity of said randomly occurring game events for one of the players.
15. The gaming system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming machines to associate a plurality of sub-symbols with the primary games, at least one of the game events including a generation of one of the sub-symbols in at least one of the primary games.