Patent ID: 8491382

Claim:
A method for use with a plurality of linked gaming machines, the method comprising: initiating a feature on a plurality of the gaming machines; presenting a bidding sequence during the feature, the bidding sequence ending at a time that is unknown to the players playing at the plurality of the linked gaming machines; enabling at least one of the players playing at the plurality of linked gaming machines to place at least one bid during the bidding sequence; awarding a feature award to the player who places a highest bid during the bidding sequence; calculating a difference between the value of a highest bid and the hidden ceiling value, and wherein if the difference is lower than a threshold, awarding a secondary award to the highest bidder, in addition to the feature award, and resetting the value of the secondary award to a seed value, and if the difference is higher than the threshold, adding the value of the difference to the value of the secondary award.