Patent ID: 8070597

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming machines, each 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) display a primary game upon a wager, and (b) display a secondary event associated with a secondary event triggering condition; and a controller configured to communicate with the plurality of gaming machines, said controller programmed to: (a) maintain a designated progressive award, said designated progressive award associated with a first triggering event and a second triggering event, and independent of when said triggering events occur, said second triggering event being different than the first triggering event, and (b) cause one of said gaming machines to provide said designated progressive award to a player of said gaming machine if: (i) the first triggering event occurs in association with a play of one of the primary games, or (ii) the second triggering event occurs in association with one of the secondary events.