Gaming system having awards provided based on rate of play

Abstract

Gaming systems and methods for operating a gaming system are provided. The gaming system includes a controller operable with a plurality of gaming devices. Based at least in part on wagering activity, the controller determines a ranking for a plurality of gaming devices in the gaming system. The controller determines a plurality of the ranked gaming devices that are eligible for a designated award and, for each of the plurality of eligible gaming devices, determines a probability of being selected to win the designated award. The controller selects at least one of the eligible gaming devices based part on the determined probability for said at least one eligible gaming device, and causes the at least one selected gaming device to provide the designated award.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a housing;   a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including:
 (i) an acceptor, and 
 (ii) a cashout device; 
   at least one processor;   at least one display device supported by the housing; and   at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the plurality of input devices to:
 (a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, 
 (b) for a play of a game:
 (i) receive at least one skill input made by a player, 
 (ii) determine a skill ranking associated with the player, said determination being based, at least in part, on the received at least one skill input made by the player compared to at least one skill input associated with another play of the game, 
 (iii) determine an outcome, said determination being based, at least in part, on the received at least one skill input, 
 (iv) display the determined outcome, 
 (v) determine any award associated with the determined outcome, wherein a first skill ranking is associated with a first award associated with the determined outcome and a second, different skill ranking is associated with a second, different award associated with the determined outcome, and 
 (vi) display any determined award, and 
 
 (c) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one skill input associated with another play of the game is selected from the group consisting of: an optimal skill input, a skill input previously made by the player, a skill input made by another player. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one skill input associated with another play of the game includes any skill inputs made during a designated period of time prior to the play of the game. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the first skill ranking is higher than the second skill ranking and the first award is greater than the second award. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to identify the player and associated with the determined skill ranking with the identified player. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein any award associated with the determined outcome includes at least one of: a progressive award, a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points. 
     
     
         7 . A gaming system server comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor for a play of a game, cause the at least one processor to:
 (a) receive data associated with at least one skill input made by a player, 
 (b) determine a skill ranking associated with the player, said determination being based, at least in part, on the at least one skill input made by the player compared to at least one skill input associated with another play of the game, 
 (c) determine an outcome, said determination being based, at least in part, on the at least one skill input made by the player, 
 (d) cause at least one display device to display the determined outcome, 
 (e) determine any award associated with the determined outcome, wherein a first skill ranking is associated with a first award associated with the determined outcome and a second, different skill ranking is associated with a second, different award associated with the determined outcome, and 
 (f) cause the at least one display device to display any determined award, wherein any determined award associated with the determined outcome causes an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance. 
   
     
     
         8 . The gaming system server of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one skill input associated with another play of the game is selected from the group consisting of: an optimal skill input, a skill input previously made by the player, a skill input made by another player. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming system server of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one skill input associated with another play of the game includes any skill inputs made during a designated period of time prior to the play of the game. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming system server of  claim 7 , wherein the first skill ranking is higher than the second skill ranking and the first award is greater than the second award. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming system server of  claim 7 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to identify the player and associated with the determined skill ranking with the identified player. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system server of  claim 7 , wherein any award associated with the determined outcome includes at least one of: a progressive award, a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a gaming system, for a play of a game, said method comprising:
 (a) receiving data associated with at least one skill input made by a player,   (b) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine a skill ranking associated with the player, said determination being based, at least in part, on the at least one skill input made by the player compared to at least one skill input associated with another play of the game,   (c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an outcome, said determination being based, at least in part, on the at least one skill input made by the player,   (d) causing at least one display device to display the determined outcome,   (e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award associated with the determined outcome, wherein a first skill ranking is associated with a first award associated with the determined outcome and a second, different skill ranking is associated with a second, different award associated with the determined outcome, and   (f) causing the at least one display device to display any determined award, wherein any determined award associated with the determined outcome causes an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one skill input associated with another play of the game is selected from the group consisting of: an optimal skill input, a skill input previously made by the player, a skill input made by another player. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one skill input associated with another play of the game includes any skill inputs made during a designated period of time prior to the play of the game. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first skill ranking is higher than the second skill ranking and the first award is greater than the second award. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , which includes identifying the player and associated with the determined skill ranking with the identified player. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein any award associated with the determined outcome includes at least one of: a progressive award, a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , which is provided through a data network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the data network is an internet.