Patent ID: 8360864

Claim:
A method for awarding a shared prize to players playing a shared win game using gaming machines of a gaming system, said method comprising: assigning one or more players to a group based on a first criterion; establishing a shared win award at least a component of which is divisible between one or more eligible players of said group, said shared win award having a fixed value determined prior to initiating the shared win game; identifying said eligible players to participate in winning a percentage of said component of said shared win award, wherein eligibility is based on a second criterion different than the first criterion; initiating the shared win game; assigning to each of said eligible players a sharing percentage as a function of each's rate of play during an eligibility period within said shared win game, wherein each's sharing percentage is subject to change during said eligibility period; determining an occurrence of a shared win event, said occurrence of said shared win event fixing said each's sharing percentage; and awarding at least said component to said eligible players based upon each's sharing percentage.