Patent ID: 7841939

Claim:
A gaming system comprising a controller programmed to maintain: (i) a first personal progressive incremental value for a first single player, (ii) a second personal progressive incremental value for a different second single player, and (iii) a group progressive, incremental value, said group progressive incremental value associated with a triggering event; a first gaming machine configured to communicate with the controller, said first gaming machine including: at least one display device, at least one input 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: (a) enable a wager to be placed on a first primary game, (b) display the first primary game, and (c) if the triggering event occurs, at least in part, in association with the first gaming machine, and the first player placed the wager on the first primary game, provide the first player a first progressive award which includes the first personal progressive incremental value and the group progressive incremental value; and a second gaming machine configured to communicate with the controller, said second gaming machine including: at least one display device, at least one input 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: (a) enable a wager to be placed on a second primary game, (b) display the second primary game, and (c) if the triggering event occurs, at least in part, in association with the second gaming machine, and the second player placed the wager on the second primary game, provide the second player a second progressive award which includes the second personal progressive incremental value and the group progressive incremental value.