Gaming system with progressive jackpot

Claim 2

A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine generating unit bet information indicative of a number of unit bets supplied to the machine for playing a game on the machine; a progressive jackpot system having a repeating game cycle, said progressive jackpot system during each game cycle providing a jackpot equal to a jackpot-win value and which can be won as a result of play on said gaming machines by one of said gaming machines, said progressive jackpot system including: progressive control means responsive to the unit bet information generated by said gaming machines and which during each game cycle: establishes at the beginning of the game cycle a jackpot-win value; enables said jackpot-win value to be displayed from said beginning of and during said game cycle; randomly establishes at the beginning of the game cycle a parameter for determining a current jackpot value; determines said current jackpot value based on unit bet information from the gaming machines and said randomly established parameter; and determines that a particular gaming machine has won the jackpot when the current jackpot value is brought to the jackpot-win value as a result of unit bet information from the particular gaming machine.

Claim 3

A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said progressive jackpot system further includes: display means responsive to said progressive control means for displaying said jackpot-win value so as to be viewable by the players playing said gaming machines.

Claim 4

A gaming system in accordance with claim 2 wherein: said display means includes an overhead display.

Claim 5

A gaming system in accordance with claim 2 wherein: said display means includes an individual display at each of said gaming machines.

Claim 6

A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said progressive control means communicates to said particular gaming machine that the particular gaming machine has won the jackpot.

Claim 7

A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said progressive control means randomly establishes said jackpot-win value.

Claim 8

A gaming system in accordance with claim 6 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 9

A gaming system in accordance with claim 6 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 10

A gaming system in accordance with claim 6 wherein: said progressive control means randomly selects said jackpot-win value from between a maximum jackpot-win value and a minimum jackpot-win value.

Claim 11

A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said progressive control means establishes the same jackpot-win value for each game cycle.

Claim 12

A gaming system in accordance with claim 10 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 13

A gaming system in accordance with claim 10 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet, and said control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 14

A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 15

A gaming system in accordance with claim 13 wherein: said progressive control means randomly selects said initial base value from between a maximum initial base value and a minimum initial base value.

Claim 16

A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 17

A gaming system in accordance with claim 15 wherein: said progressive control means randomly selects said increment rate per unit bet from between a maximum increment rate per unit bet and a minimum increment rate per unit bet.

Claim 20

A method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising: displaying said jackpot-win value so as to be viewable by the players playing said gaming machines.

Claim 21

A method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising: communicating to the particular gaming machine that the particular gaming machine has won the jackpot.

Claim 22

A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein: said step of establishing said jackpot-win value is carried out randomly.

Claim 23

A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 24

A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 25

A gaming system in accordance with claim 20 wherein: said jackpot-win value is selected from between a maximum jackpot-win value and a minimum jackpot-win value.

Claim 26

A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein: the same jackpot-win value is established for each game cycle.

Claim 27

A method in accordance with claim 24 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 28

A method in accordance with claim 24 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 29

A method system in accordance with claim 17 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 30

A method in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said initial base value is randomly selected from between a maximum initial base value and a minimum initial base value.

Claim 31

A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said step of determining said current jackpot value, is carried out by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 32

A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein: said increment rate per unit bet is randomly selected from between a maximum increment rate per unit bet and a minimum increment rate per unit bet.

Claim 33

A progressive controller for use in controlling a progressive jackpot system having a repeating game cycle, said progressive jackpot system during each game cycle providing a jackpot equal to a jackpot-win value and which can be won as a result of play on a plurality of gaming machines by one of said gaming machines, each gaming machine generating unit bet information indicative of a number of unit bets supplied to the machine for playing a game on the machine, said progressive controller including: means for receiving unit bet information from said gaming machines; and progressive control means responsive to the receiving means and which during each game cycle: establishes at the beginning of the game cycle a jackpot-win value; enables said jackpot-win value to be displayed from said beginning of and during said game cycle; randomly establishes at the beginning of the game cycle a parameter for determining a current jackpot value; determines a current jackpot value based on unit bet information from the gaming machines and said randomly established parameter; and determines that a particular gaming machine has won the jackpot when the current jackpot value is brought to the jackpot-win value as result of unit bet information from the particular gaming machine.

Claim 34

A progressive controller for use in controlling a progressive jackpot system having a repeating game cycle, said progressive jackpot system during each game cycle providing a jackpot equal to a jackpot-win value and which can be won as a result of play on a plurality of gaming machines by one of said gaming machines, each gaming machine generating unit bet information indicative of a number of unit bets supplied to the machine for playing a game on the machine, said progressive controller including: means for receiving unit bet information from said gaming machines; and progressive control means responsive to the receiving means and which during each game cycle: establishes at the beginning of the game cycle a jackpot-win value; enables said jackpot-win value to be displayed from said beginning of and during said game cycle; randomly establishes at the beginning of the game cycle a parameter for determining a current jackpot value; determines a current jackpot value based on unit bet information from the gaming machines and said randomly established parameter; and determines that a particular gaming machine has won the jackpot when the current jackpot value is brought to the jackpot-win value as result of unit bet information from the particular gaming machine.

Claim 35

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 31 wherein: said progressive controller is for further use with a display means responsive to said progressive controller for displaying said jackpot-win value so as to be viewable by the players playing said gaming machines.

Claim 36

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 31 wherein: said progressive control means communicates to the particular gaming machine that the particular gaming machine has won the jackpot.

Claim 37

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 31 wherein: said progressive control means randomly establishes said jackpot-win value.

Claim 38

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 34 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said progressive control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 39

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 34 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said progressive control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 40

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 34 wherein: said progressive controller means randomly selects said jackpot-win value from between a maximum jackpot-win value and a minimum jackpot-win value.

Claim 41

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 31 wherein: said progressive control means establishes the same jackpot-win value for each game cycle.

Claim 42

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said progressive control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 43

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 39 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said progressive control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 44

A progressive controller in accoreance with claim 31 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said progressive control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 45

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 41 wherein: said progressive control means randomly selects said initial base value from between a maximum initial base value and a minimum initial base value.

Claim 46

A progressive controller in accordance with claim 31 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said progressive control means determines said current jackpot value by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 47

A progressive controller in accordance with accordance with claim 43 wherein: said progressive control means randomly selects said increment rate per unit bet from between a maximum increment rate per unit bet and a minimum increment rate per unit bet.

Claim 50

A method in accordance with claim 45 wherein: said progressive controller is for further use with display means responsive to said progressive controller for displaying said jackpot-win value so as to be viewable by the players playing said gaming machines.

Claim 51

A method in accordance with claim 45 further comprising: communicating to said particular gaming machine that the particular gaming machine has won the jackpot.

Claim 52

A method in accordance with claim 45 wherein: said step of establishing said jackpot-win value is carried out randomly.

Claim 53

A method in accordance with claim 48 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 54

A method in accordance with claim 48 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet, and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 55

A gaming system in accordance with claim 48 wherein: said jackpot-win value is selected from between a maximum jackpot-win value and a minimum jackpot-win value.

Claim 56

A method in accordance with claim 45 wherein: the same jackpot-win value is established for each game cycle.

Claim 57

A method in accordance with claim 52 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 58

A method in accordance with claim 52 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out by incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 59

A method in accordance with claim 45 wherein: said parameter is an initial base value for said current jackpot value; and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out by incrementing said initial base value.

Claim 60

A method in accordance with claim 55 wherein: said initial base value is randomly selected from between a maximum initial base value and a minimum initial base value.

Claim 61

A method in accordance with claim 45 wherein: said parameter is an increment rate per unit bet; and said step of determining said current jackpot value is carried out be incrementing an initial base value based on said increment rate per unit bet and said unit bet information from said gaming machines.

Claim 62

A method in accordance with claim 57 wherein: said increment rate per unit bet is randomly selected from between a maximum increment rate per unit bet and a minimum increment rate per unit bet.