Gaming system and method

Abstract

A secondary game system, in various embodiments, comprises a system of networked game terminals where a player playing a game on a game terminal can earn eligibility to win a prize from a secondary game that plays simultaneously in the background. The secondary game may be triggered based on play on the plurality of networked terminals. This allows the player to play a first game that earns them eligibility to win another game that is played in the background. The player sends a game initiation request for a game (e.g., lottery slot) to be played on the game terminal. If a certain criterion is satisfied, the player becomes eligible to win a prize from the secondary game if the secondary game is triggered while the player is eligible to win.

1 . A computer-implemented method, wherein the method comprises using one or more computer processors to:
 receive a request from at least one player of a plurality of players to play a first game;   facilitate play of the first game for the at least one player;   establish an eligibility period for the at least one player with respect to a second game, based upon the request to play the first game;   display a visual indication of the time remaining in the eligibility period to the at least one player;   determine a minimum number and a maximum number of requests to play the first game, within which play of the second game may be triggered;   randomly select a number of requests to play the first game, between the minimum number and the maximum number, which will trigger play of the second game; and   trigger play of the second game when the randomly selected number of requests to play the first game have been received.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the player remains eligible for the second game until the eligibility period expires. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the player's eligibility period accumulates based upon additional requests by the player to play the first game. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method, wherein the method comprises using one or more computer processors to:
 receive a request from at least one player of a plurality of players to play a first game;   facilitate play of the first game for the at least one player;   establish an eligibility period for the at least one player with respect to a second game, based upon the request to play the first game;   display a visual indication of the time remaining in the eligibility period to the at least one player;   determine a minimum number and a maximum number of requests to play the first game, within which play of the second game may be triggered;   randomly select a number of requests to play the first game, between the minimum number and the maximum number, which will trigger play of the second game;   trigger play of the second game when the randomly selected number of requests to play the first game have been received   determine which players had time remaining in their eligibility periods at the time play of the second game was triggered;   determine whether play of the second game results in a non-zero prize;   if the second game results in a non-zero prize, determine whether the non-zero prize is a shared prize or an individual prize;   if the non-zero prize is a shared prize, award a portion of the prize to all players that had time remaining in their eligibility periods at the time play of the second game was triggered; and   if the non-zero prize is an individual prize, award the prize to a player that had time remaining in his eligibility period at the time play of the second game was triggered.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein if the non-zero prize is an individual prize, the player to be awarded the prize is randomly selected among the eligible players. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the player remains eligible for the second game until the eligibility period expires. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising notifying the at least one player of the award of the at least a portion of the non-zero prize. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the player's eligibility period accumulates based upon additional requests by the player to play the first game. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of claim  84 , further comprising incrementing the eligibility period for the at least one player when additional requests are received from the at least one player to play the first game. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising receiving requests from a plurality of players to play the first game. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein if the prize is a shared prize, the prize is equally distributed to all players that had time remaining in their eligibility periods at the time play of the second game was triggered. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , additionally comprising notifying the at least one eligible player when the second game is triggered. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the first game and the second game are played simultaneously. 
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method of playing participating in an electronic sweepstakes game, wherein the method comprises using one or more computer processors to:
 receive a request from at least one user of a plurality of users to participate in a first electronic sweepstakes;   initiate the first electronic sweepstakes by selecting an electronic sweepstakes draw from a fixed number of electronic sweepstakes draws associated with the first electronic sweepstakes;   establish an eligibility period for the at least one user with respect to a second electronic sweepstakes, based upon the request to participate in the first electronic sweepstakes;   display a visual indication of the time remaining in the eligibility period to the at least one user;   determine a minimum number and a maximum number of requests to participate in the first electronic sweepstakes, within which initiation of the second electronic sweepstakes may be triggered;   randomly select a number of requests to participate in the first electronic sweepstakes, between the minimum number and the maximum number, which will trigger initiation of the second electronic sweepstakes;   trigger initiation of the second electronic sweepstakes when the randomly selected number of requests to participate in the first electronic sweepstakes have been received determine which users had time remaining in their eligibility periods at the time initiation of the second electronic sweepstakes was triggered;   if the second electronic sweepstakes results in a non-zero prize, determine whether the non-zero prize is a shared prize or an individual prize;   if the non-zero prize is a shared prize, award a portion of the prize to all users that had time remaining in their eligibility periods at the time the second electronic sweepstakes was triggered; and   if the non-zero prize is an individual prize, award the prize to a user that had time remaining in his eligibility period at the time the second electronic sweepstakes was triggered.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , wherein if the non-zero prize is an individual prize, the user to be awarded the prize is randomly selected among the eligible users. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , wherein the user remains eligible for the second electronic sweepstakes until the eligibility period expires. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , wherein the user's eligibility period accumulates based upon additional requests by the user to participate in the first electronic sweepstakes. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , wherein if the prize is a shared prize, the prize is equally distributed to all users that had time remaining in their eligibility periods at the time initiation of the second electronic sweepstakes was triggered. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , additionally comprising notifying the at least one eligible user when the second electronic sweepstakes is triggered. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one user participates in the first electronic sweepstakes and the second electronic sweepstakes simultaneously.