Patent ID: 8105149

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including: at least one input device, at least one display device, at least one processor, and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game to a player upon a placement of a wager; and a controller configured to communicate with the plurality of gaming machines, said controller programmed to, upon an occurrence of a triggering event: (a) initiate a bonus event having a plurality of sequential rounds including an initial round and a final round, each round associated with at least one winning outcome and at least one losing outcome, wherein each of the players of each of the gaming machines are designated as eligible for the initial round; (b) for each sequential round until the final round: (i) enable each eligible player to make an input associated with said round of the bonus event, and (ii) for each eligible player: (A) if the player's input associated with that round of the bonus event is associated with the winning outcome of that round of the bonus event: (I) cause a designation that the player is eligible to advance to another round of the bonus event, and (II) associate an award for said round with the player, wherein: (1) if none of the players make inputs associated with the winning outcome in any immediately subsequent round, the award for said round associated with the player is provided to the player, and (2) if at least one of the players makes at least one input associated with the winning outcome in any immediately subsequent round, the award for said round associated with the player is not provided to the player in association with the player's input associated with that round of the bonus event; and (B) if the player's input associated with that round of the bonus event is associated with the losing outcome of that round of the bonus event, cause a designation that the player is ineligible to advance to another round of the bonus event; and (c) for the final round of the bonus event: (i) enable each eligible player to make an input associated with said final round of the bonus event, and (ii) for each eligible player: (A) if the player's input associated with the final round of the bonus event is associated with the winning outcome of the final round, provide said player with a final round award, and (B) if the player's input associated with the final round of the bonus event is associated with the losing outcome of the final round, do not provide said final round award to the player.