Patent ID: 7780516
Filing Date: 2010-08-24
Classification: A63F,G07F

Abstract:
1. A method performed by a first gaming system, the first gaming system comprising a first gaming machine, the method comprising: receiving wagers, by the first gaming machine, from a player playing paid games on the first gaming machine; detecting, by at least one processor, a free game bonus round initiation signal; enabling, by the at least one processor, the player to play N free games, where N is greater than or equal to 1; accumulating winning units from a winning outcome of each free game played; granting an award to the player, by the first gaming machine, based on accumulated winning units from winning outcomes of free game played; allocating a fixed percentage of wagers, by the at least one processor, from the paid games to accumulate in a combination of at least a free game pot and a progressive jackpot; accumulating an amount in the free game pot, by the at least one processor, based at least partially on a dynamically adjusted percentage of wagers from the paid games, such that even as the percentage of wagers allocated to the free game pot is dynamically adjusted, a fixed percentage of wagers from the paid games is still allocated to the combination of at least the free game pot and the progressive jackpot, the free game pot for funding the free game bonus round; deducting amounts from the free game pot to fund the free games being played; and dynamically adjusting the percentage of wagers from the paid games to the free game pot, by the at least one processor, depending on a level of the free game pot, such that when the percentage of wagers allocated to the free game pot goes down, the percentage of wagers allocated to the progressive jackpot goes up, and such that when the percentage of wagers allocated to the free game pot goes up, the percentage of wagers allocated to the progressive jackpot goes down, wherein a percentage of wagers from the paid games when funding the free game pot is less than 100%, and wherein the free game bonus round initiation signal is only issued, by the at least one processor, once it has been determined that the free game pot is at the level determined to be necessary to ensure full funding of all free games played during the free game bonus round.