Patent ID: 8821289

Claim:
A method of operating a progressive jackpot system including a progressive jackpot system controller, and a plurality of gaming machines coupled to the progressive jackpot system controller and participating in a progressive jackpot game in which a progressive jackpot is awarded in response to a triggering event at one of the gaming machines, the method comprising: said jackpot system controller maintaining data representing a composite progressive jackpot pool comprising a predetermined fixed base component, and an incremental component funded by a portion of wagers made at the gaming machines; each of said gaming machines configured for sending a message to the progressive jackpot system controller in response to the occurrence of a triggering event on the gaming machine, the message indicating that the triggering event has occurred and including data representing a desired proportion of the progressive jackpot pool to award to the player; said progressive jackpot system controller calculating a composite progressive jackpot award for the player based on the desired progressive jackpot proportion and comprising a first component funded from the fixed base component of the progressive jackpot pool, and a second component funded from the incremental component of the progressive jackpot pool; said progressive jackpot system controller sending a message to the gaming machine experiencing the triggering event indicating the amount of the progressive jackpot award for the player; and said progressive jackpot system controller replenishing the fixed base component of the progressive jackpot pool to the predetermined amount.