Patent ID: 8702493

Claim:
A method for awarding a bonus award at a slot machine, the method comprising: receiving, at a server from a first slot machine being played by a first player, a jackpot ante and a selection of a set of other slot machines, wherein receiving the selection comprises receiving a selection of one or more individual slot machines independent of the jackpot ante, wherein receiving the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other slot machines qualifies the first player as being eligible, during a predetermined time period that occurs after the server receives the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other slot machines, to win at least a portion of a bonus award to be awarded if a jackpot award is won at a slot machine among the set of other slot machines during the predetermined time period that occurs after the server receives the jackpot ante and the selection of the set of other slot machines, wherein receiving the jackpot ante and the selection to qualify the first player as being eligible to win at least a portion of the bonus award to be awarded if the jackpot award is won at a slot machine among the set of other slot machines during the predetermined time period occurs prior to any play of a slot machine among the set of slot machines during the predetermined time period, and wherein each slot machine of the set of other slot machines is played by a player other than the first player; the set of other slot machines being played during the predetermined time period that occurs after the server received the jackpot ante; and determining, using the server, that a slot machine among the set of other slot machines awarded a jackpot award to its respective player, for a play of the slot machine among the set of other slot machines during the predetermined time period, and, using the server, responsively awarding at least a portion of the bonus award to the first slot machine being played by the first player, wherein the bonus award and the jackpot award are awarded from separate pools.