Patent ID: 8864575

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming machines; and a controller configured to communicate with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to: (a) maintain a designated pool during a bonus event accumulation period, wherein said designated pool at least includes at least a portion of any wagers placed on the gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period and an amount of wagers accumulated in said designated pool at different points in time during the bonus event accumulation period forms a range of numbers; (b) determine if a bonus event will occur; and (c) if the bonus event is determined to occur: (i) modify the range of numbers formed by said designated pool, (ii) determine which of the gaming machines will each provide at least one bonus award, wherein said determination is based at least in part on the modified range of numbers and is independent of any event in any play of any primary games of the gaming machines, and (iii) send a signal to each gaming machine determined to provide at least one bonus award to cause said gaming machine to display and provide said at least one bonus award.