	US 7,614,948 B2
	Multi-player bingo with slept awards reverting to progressive jackpot pool
Ali Saffari, Reno, Nev. (US); and Bryan Wolf, Reno, Nev. (US)
Assigned to IGT, Reno, Nev. (US)
Filed on Jan. 13, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/756,429.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/503161, filed on Sep. 15, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0059467 A1, Mar. 17, 2005
Int. Cl. A63F 9/24 (2006.01); A63F 13/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 463—19 [463/17; 463/18; 463/25; 463/26]

30 Claims

1. A method for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot, wherein the wagering game is a multi-player game wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia, wherein one of the players wins the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a predetermined game winning pattern of game indicia on the player's unique game array with the sequentially selected game indicia, and wherein the outcome of the occurrence of the wagering game is a predetermined progressive jackpot winning outcome if a pattern on the player's unique game array formed by game indicia on the player's unique game array matching sequentially selected game indicia matches one of a plurality of a predetermined progressive jackpot winning patterns, the method comprising:

receiving a first batch of the sequentially selected game indicia at a gaming unit;

comparing the first batch of the sequentially selected game indicia to the game indicia of the player's unique game array;

determining that the player has won a first interim pattern award for the occurrence of the wagering game if a first interim pattern formed by game indicia on the player's unique game array matching sequentially selected indicia in the first batch matches one of a plurality of predetermined interim patterns;

determining a first interim pattern award amount for the player corresponding to the first interim pattern matched by the first interim pattern on the player's unique game array;

providing a first sleep time period for the player to make a first prize claiming input selection at an input device of the gaming unit to claim the first interim pattern award amount;

storing the first interim pattern award amount if the player inputs the first prize claiming input within the first sleep time period;

receiving a second batch of the sequentially selected game indicia at the gaming unit;

comparing the second batch of sequentially selected game indicia to the game indicia of the player's unique game array;

determining that the player has won a second interim pattern award for the occurrence of the wagering game if a second interim pattern formed by game indicia on the player's unique game array matching sequentially selected indicia in the first and second batches matches a second one of the predetermined interim patterns;

determining a second interim pattern award amount for the player corresponding to the second interim pattern matched by the second interim pattern on the player's unique game array;

providing a second sleep time period for the player to make a second prize claiming input selection at the input device of the gaming unit to claim the second interim pattern award amount;

adding a progressive jackpot contribution equal to the second interim pattern award amount minus the first interim pattern award amount to the progressive jackpot pool if the player does not input the second prize claiming input within the second sleep time period and the second interim pattern award amount is greater than the first interim pattern award amount; and

awarding the first interim pattern award amount to the player if the player does not input the second prize claiming input within the second sleep time period.