Gaming System Award Range Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing progressive award systems in gaming devices often lead to frustration among players as they are not eligible to receive the jackpot, and each player's success is dependent on previous players, with wagers not directly associated with winning chances, causing decreased player engagement and profitability.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system that determines a range of award numbers based on previous wagers, randomly selects an award number, and provides an award to players, increasing the probability of winning with each wager, by associating each wager with a chance of receiving the award and reducing the range of award numbers with each wager.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mystery progressive award model is used where the gaming machine randomly selects a winning prize number from a range that includes a minimum and a maximum prize value, then the progressive award amount can increase with each wager, but players become frustrated because they are not eligible to receive the jackpot and each subsequent player's success is based on the previous players
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-determines a winning number within the progressive award range before the progressive award is won. This preliminary action ensures that when a player wins, they receive a predetermined amount rather than an uncertain progressive amount, eliminating player frustration while maintaining system reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of award determination from progressive accumulation to fixed predetermined values. By selecting a winning number from a range and associating it with a fixed award amount, the system transforms the uncertain progressive model into a predictable fixed model, improving player engagement
2Reliability
If the gaming machine tracks each wager and increments a total wager amount to determine when the jackpot is won, then the progressive award can be awarded based on total wagers, but each wager being placed by the player is not associated with a chance of winning the progressive award
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-selects a winning number within the progressive range before wagers are placed. This preliminary determination creates an associated chance for each wager, as players can understand their probability of winning based on the relationship between total wagers and the predetermined winning number, thereby motivating continued play
3Quantity of substance
If players only play associated gaming machines when the value of the progressive award nears a maximum value, then the progressive award pool increases, but the probability of obtaining the progressive award has increased and player frustration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the award structure from progressive accumulation to fixed predetermined amounts. By selecting winning numbers from a range and associating them with fixed award values, the system allows players to win at any progressive pool level, maintaining satisfaction while the pool continues to grow
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates multiple predetermined winning scenarios within the progressive range. Instead of one progressive jackpot, there are multiple fixed award levels copied from the predetermined winning numbers, allowing players to win at various levels and reducing frustration
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing an award to a player is described herein. The system includes a plurality of gaming devices and a controller coupled to each of the gaming devices. Each gaming device is configured to receive a wager from a player and responsively display a game. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a wager being received by at least one of the gaming devices, determine a range of award numbers as a function of at least one previous wager, randomly select an award number from the range of award numbers, and responsively provide an award to the player being associated with the at least one gaming device as a function of the randomly selected award number.