Patent ID: 7666088

Claim:
A gaming system for providing a future sporting event bonus game, comprising: a first gaming apparatus comprising: a game display unit; a value input device; a controller operatively coupled to said game display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said controller being programmed to cause said game display unit to generate a game display relating to one of the following games: poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo, said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game; a second gaming apparatus operatively coupled to said first gaming apparatus; a bonus controller operatively coupled to said first and second gaming apparatuses, said bonus controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said bonus controller, said bonus controller being programmed to receive bonus data from said first and second gaming apparatuses, said bonus controller being programmed to assign an entry to a player at said first gaming apparatus from a plurality of entries defining a gaming pool for said future sporting event bonus game when said player obtains a qualifying win based on said randomly determined outcome of said game of said first gaming apparatus, said bonus controller being programmed to receive an outcome of said future sporting event which is one of said entries of said plurality of entries, said outcome of said future sporting event determined based, at least in part, on a skill of a participant in said future sporting event, wherein said player is not a participant in said future sporting event, and said controller and said bonus controller do not randomly determine said outcome of said future sporting event, and said bonus controller being programmed to transmit data corresponding to said outcome of said future sporting event to at least one of said first and second gaming apparatuses and a remote display.