Dynamic jackpot enrollment

Abstract

Information communicated about progressive wagering games to backend systems in response to game play can be utilized to dynamically enroll gaming machines being used to play the progressive wagering games into an instance of a progressive jackpot. When a wager is submitted for a progressive wagering game, information that at least identifies the wager amount, gaming machine, and progressive wagering game is transmitted from the gaming machine to one or more backend systems (e.g., accounting and routing systems). A backend system, or a component of a backend system, tracks ongoing progressive jackpots. The backend system or system component at least records data that tracks funding of the progressive jackpot instances from gaming machines.

1 . A method comprising:
 reading data that indicates an electronic wagering game machine, a wager amount, and a wagering game;   determining that the wagering game is associated with a progressive jackpot;   determining that the electronic wagering game machine is not enrolled to participate in an instance of the progressive jackpot; and   automatically enrolling the electronic wagering game machine in the instance of the progressive jackpot associated with the wagering game.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automatically enrolling comprises:
 writing data that associates the electronic wagering game machine with the instance of the progressive jackpot; and   writing data that indicates funding of the instance of the progressive jackpot from the electronic wagering game machine based on the wager amount.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising writing data to reflect subsequent funding accumulation for the instance of the progressive jackpot from the electronic wagering gaming machine and from a second electronic wagering game machine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data that associates the electronic wagering gaming machine with the instance of the progressive jackpot is written into a structure that tracks funding of the instance of the progressive jackpot from a plurality of electronic wagering game machines in addition to the electronic wagering game machine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 receiving notification that instance of the progressive jackpot has been won; and   removing from the structure the data that corresponds to the instance of the progressive jackpot.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising exporting the data removed from the structure for accounting. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving a message with the data that indicates the wager amount, the electronic wagering game machine, and the wagering game. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the message further indicates a paytable, a game theme, and a denomination. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining that the wagering game is also associated with a second progressive jackpot;   if the electronic wagering game machine is not enrolled in an instance of the second progressive jackpot, automatically enrolling the electronic wagering game machine in the instance of the second progressive jackpot;   writing data that indicates funding accumulation for the instance of the second progressive jackpot from the electronic wagering game machine based on the wager amount.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a message parsing unit operable to parse a message to determine an electronic wagering game machine, a wagering game, and a wager amount;   a progressive jackpot lookup unit coupled with the message parsing unit, the progressive jackpot lookup unit operable to determine a set of one or more progressive jackpots associated with the wagering game; and   an enrollment data manager unit coupled with the progressive jackpot lookup unit, the enrollment data manager unit operable to write data that associates the electronic wagering game machine with the set of one or more progressive jackpots and to write data that indicates participation of the electronic wagering game machine in the set of one or more progressive jackpots based on the wager amount.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a network interface coupled with the message parsing unit, the network interface operable to transmit and to receive messages; and   a set of one or more processing units.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising a progressive jackpot instance termination unit operable to clear data written by the enrollment data manager unit for an instance of one of the set of one or more progressive jackpots that has been won. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the progressive jackpot instance termination unit is further operable to export cleared data. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the message comprises an electronic wagering game machine identifier, a wager amount, a wagering game identifier, a game theme identifier, a paytable identifier, and a denomination. 
     
     
         15 . One or more machine-readable media having instructions encoded therein, the instructions, when executed by a set of one or more processors, causing the set of processors to perform operations that comprise:
 reading data that indicates an electronic wagering game machine, a wager amount, and a wagering game;   determining that the wagering game is associated with a progressive jackpot;   determining that the electronic wagering game machine is not enrolled to participate in an instance of the progressive jackpot; and   automatically enrolling the electronic wagering game machine in the instance of the progressive jackpot associated with the wagering game.   
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the wagering game is also associated with a second progressive jackpot;   if the electronic wagering game machine is not enrolled in an instance of the second progressive jackpot, automatically enrolling the electronic wagering game machine in the instance of the second progressive jackpot;   writing data that indicates funding accumulation for the instance of the second progressive jackpot from the electronic wagering game machine based on the wager amount.   
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the automatically enrolling operation comprises:
 writing data that associates the electronic wagering game machine with the instance of the progressive jackpot; and   writing data that indicates funding of the instance of the progressive jackpot from the electronic wagering game machine based on the wager amount.   
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable media of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise writing data to reflect subsequent funding accumulation for the instance of the progressive jackpot from the electronic wagering gaming machine and from a second electronic wagering game machine. 
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise parsing a message with the data that indicates the wager amount, the electronic wagering game machine, and the wagering game. 
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable media of  claim 19 , wherein the data of the message further indicates a paytable, a denomination, and a game theme.