Patent ID: 8651939

Claim:
A gaming system having a central controller, said gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine in communication with said central controller and 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 player to place at least one wager on at least one play of at least one primary wagering game, and (b) for each play of the primary wagering game: (i) randomly generate a game outcome, (ii) determine if the generated game outcome is associated with a primary wagering game award, and (iii) provide to the player any primary wagering game award determined to be associated with generated game outcome; at least one motion producing device controlled by the central controller; and at least one mechanical gaming machine indicator connected to said motion producing device ,wherein said central controller is configured to: (a)randomly select at least one of the gaming machines to provide a supplemental award, said random selection occurring: (i) independent of each game outcome generated in each play of each the primary wagering games of each of the gaming machines, (ii) independent of the wagers placed on each of the plays of each of the primary wagering games of each of the gaming machines, and (iii) independent of any amount of the wagers placed on each of the plays of each of the primary wagering games of each of the gaming machines: (b) cause the motion producing device to move the gaming machine indicator to indicate the selected gaming machine; (c) determine if the selected gaming machine is actively played, said determination based, at least in part, on if at least a designated minimum wager has been placed on the at least one play of the primary wagering game of the selected gaming machine during a bonus event qualification period; and (d) if the selected gaming machine is actively played, thereafter cause the selected gaming machine to provide the player of said gaming machine said supplemental award, wherein said provided supplemental award is independent of each game outcome generated by the selected gaming machine.