Patent ID: 7632184

Claim:
A method performed by a system of linked gaming machines comprising: receiving wagers from players playing paid games on the linked gaming machines; detecting a free game bonus round initiation signal by a plurality of the linked gaming machines eligible for playing a free game bonus round; enabling each player of the linked gaming machines that are involved in the free game bonus round to play a plurality of free games; accumulating an amount in a free game pot, common to the plurality of the linked gaming machines, based at least partially on a percentage of wagers from the paid games on the linked gaming machines, the free game pot for funding virtual wagers during the free game bonus round, wherein games played in the free game bonus round are played with virtual wagers from the free game pot rather than actual wagers from the players; granting an award to one or more of the players, based on outcomes of the free games played; and deducting the virtual wagers from the free game pot to fund the free games being played, wherein accumulating an amount in the free game pot comprises dynamically adjusting the percentage of wagers from the paid games to the free game pot depending on a level of the free game pot, and wherein a percentage of wagers from the paid games when funding the free game pot is less than 100%, wherein the free game pot is funded by a first percentage of the wagers from the paid games prior to the level of the free game pot reaching a level determined to be necessary to ensure full funding of all free games played during the free game bonus round, wherein the free game pot is funded at a second percentage, including zero, lower than the first level after it is determined that the level of the free game pot is sufficient to fund all free games played during the free game bonus round, and wherein the free game bonus round initiation signal is only issued 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.