Patent ID: 7780520

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a controller configured to maintain: (i) a first progressive award associated with a first triggering event; (ii) a second progressive award, wherein said second progressive award is associated with a range of values and a progressive hit value; and (iii) a third progressive award, wherein said third progressive award is associated with a designated outcome of a primary game; and a plurality of gaming machines configured to communicate with the controller, said gaming machines and said controller are configured to operate to: (a) determine if the first triggering event occurs in association with a first wager placed by a player of one of said gaming machines; (b) if the first triggering event is determined to occur: (i) activate an award generator to indicate one of at least one static award and the first progressive award, and (ii) provide the indicated award to one of the players of one of the gaming machines; (c) display a non-numerical indication of a current value of the second progressive award relative to the range of values; (d) determine if the first wager placed causes the second progressive award to reach the progressive hit value; (e) if the first wager placed causes the second progressive award to reach the progressive hit value, provide the second progressive award to one of the players of one of the gaming machines; (f) generate one of a plurality of outcomes of the primary game, wherein said primary game is operable upon the first wager placed, said plurality of outcomes include the designated outcome and said generation of one of the plurality of outcomes of the primary game is separate from any activation of the award generator; and (g) if the designated outcome of the primary game is generated, provide the third progressive award to one of the players of one of the gaming machines.