Gaming machine with hidden jackpot

Abstract

A gaming method and system are described where a visible jackpot and an invisible jackpot are accumulated for a plurality of gaming machines connected in a network. The visible jackpot is paid when one of the gaming machines in the plurality achieves certain criteria. The visible jackpot is at least partially replenished from the invisible jackpot. The amount in the visible jackpot may be displayed, either on a display common to multiple gaming machines in the network, or on each gaming machine in the network. The visible and invisible jackpots may be accumulated by increasing the amount in each of the visible jackpot and the invisible jackpot by a percentage of each amount bet on the gaming machines in the network. In some embodiments, the invisible jackpot accumulates faster than the visible jackpot.

What is being claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gaming method performed in a system of a plurality of gaming machines connected in a network comprising: 
 accumulating a visible jackpot, visible to players, common to the plurality of gaming machines;    accumulating an invisible jackpot, not visible to players, common to the plurality of gaming machines;    paying the visible jackpot to one of the plurality of gaming machines meeting certain criteria; and    at least partially replenishing the visible jackpot using at least a portion of the invisible jackpot.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming method of  claim 1  wherein an amount of the invisible jackpot used to replenish the visible jackpot is calculated based on an amount in the invisible jackpot.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming method of  claim 1  wherein the certain criteria comprise an amount of the visible jackpot, the method further comprising: 
 calculating the certain criteria amount based on the amount used to at least partially replenish the visible jackpot.  
 
     
     
         4 . The gaming method of  claim 1  wherein the certain criteria comprise an amount of the visible jackpot.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming method of  claim 1  wherein the certain criteria comprise an amount of the invisible jackpot.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming method of  claim 1  wherein the certain criteria comprise a number of plays of the plurality of gaming machines.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming method of  claim 1  wherein the certain criteria comprise a certain symbol combination obtained by one of the plurality of gaming machines.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 displaying the visible jackpot on a display device.  
 
     
     
         9 . The gaming method of  claim 8  wherein the display device is common to more than one gaming machine in the plurality of gaming machines.  
     
     
         10 . The gaming method of  claim 8  wherein the display device is incorporated into each of said gaming machines.  
     
     
         11 . The gaming method of  claim 1  wherein accumulating a visible jackpot comprises increasing an amount of the visible jackpot by a first percentage of each bet placed on the plurality of gaming machines.  
     
     
         12 . The gaming method of  claim 11  wherein accumulating an invisible jackpot comprises increasing an amount of the invisible jackpot by a second percentage of each bet placed on the plurality of gaming machines.  
     
     
         13 . The gaming method of  claim 12  wherein the second percentage is greater than the first percentage.  
     
     
         14 . The gaming method of  claim 12  wherein the second percentage is about twice the first percentage.  
     
     
         15 . A gaming system comprising: 
 a plurality of gaming machines connected within a network;    a computer connected to the network, the computer comprising instructions for: 
 accumulating a visible jackpot common to the plurality of gaming machines;  
 accumulating an invisible jackpot common to the plurality of gaming machines;  
 paying the visible jackpot to one of the plurality of gaming machines meeting a certain criteria; and  
 after paying the visible jackpot, at least partially replenishing the visible jackpot using at least a portion of the invisible jackpot; and  
 a display device connected to the network that displays the visible jackpot.  
   
     
     
         16 . The gaming system of  claim 15  wherein the certain criteria comprise an amount of the visible jackpot.  
     
     
         17 . The gaming system of  claim 15  wherein the computer further comprises instructions for calculating an amount of the invisible jackpot used to replenish the visible jackpot based on a total amount in the invisible jackpot.  
     
     
         18 . The gaming system of  claim 15  wherein the computer further comprises instructions for determining a new certain criteria based on an amount used to replenish the visible jackpot.  
     
     
         19 . The gaming system of  claim 15  wherein accumulating a visible jackpot comprises increasing an amount of the visible jackpot by a first percentage of each bet placed on the plurality of gaming machines.  
     
     
         20 . The gaming system of  claim 19  wherein accumulating an invisible jackpot comprises increasing an amount of the invisible jackpot by a second percentage of each bet placed on the plurality of gaming machines.  
     
     
         21 . The gaming system of  claim 20  wherein the second percentage is greater than the first percentage.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming system of  claim 15  further comprising a diplay for displaying the visible jackpot to one or more players.  
     
     
         23 . A gaming method performed in a system of a plurality of gaming machines connected in a network comprising: 
 accumulating a first visible jackpot, visible to players, common to the plurality of gaming machines;    accumulating a first invisible jackpot, not visible to players, common to the plurality of gaming machines;    accumulating a second jackpot common to the plurality of gaming machines;    paying the first visible jackpot to one of the plurality of gaming machines meeting first certain criteria; and    at least partially replenishing the first visible jackpot using at least a portion of the first invisible jackpot.    
     
     
         24 . The gaming method of  claim 23  wherein the second jackpot is a visible jackpot, visible to players, the method further comprising paying the second jackpot to one of the plurality of gaming machines meeting second certain criteria.  
     
     
         25 . The gaming method of  claim 24  wherein the first certain criteria and the second certain criteria are the same.  
     
     
         26 . The gaming method of  claim 24  wherein the first certain criteria and the second certain criteria are different.  
     
     
         27 . The gaming method of  claim 23  wherein the second jackpot is an invisible jackpot, not visible to players, the method further comprising at least partly replenishing the first visible jackpot using at least a portion of the second jackpot.