Communication control for progressive game controller to prevent near-concurrent wins

A method for preventing near-concurrent wins in a progressive gaming system, comprising:

• determining at a terminal the outcome of a play initiated by a player, wherein play is initiated when credits are registered;
• communicating the outcome to a centralized controller;
• determining whether the outcome will result in the award of a progressive jackpot;
• preventing other wins of the awarded jackpot;
• and
• sending a communication from the central controller awarding the jackpot amount in response to the communicated outcome before onscreen play of the game is initiated at the terminal.

A method for preventing near-concurrent wins in a progressive gaming system and for maintaining the operability of the progressive gaming system, comprising:

• sending individual status messages from a centralized controller to each of a plurality of individual machines making up the progressive gaming system when the individual machines have been inactive for a predetermined period of time;
• upon initiation of a play by a player, determining the outcome of the play wherein initiation occurs when credits are registered;
• communicating the outcome to a centralized controller;
• determining whether the outcome will award a progressive jackpot;
• awarding the progressive jackpot amount in response to the communicated outcome;
• preventing other wins of the awarded jackpot;
• and
• receiving a communication from the central controller in response to the communicated outcome before onscreen play of the game is initiated.

A system for progressive gaming, comprising:

• a plurality of game terminals configured to determine outcomes for player-initiated plays, the outcomes including outcomes for a progressive jackpot game, the plurality of game terminals including
• a first game terminal in the plurality of game terminals, the first game terminal configured to determine a first outcome of a first player-initiated play and to display a first play result to a first player;
• a second game terminal in the plurality of game terminals, the second game terminal configured to determine a second outcome of a second player-initiated play and to display a second play result to a second player;
• a jackpot controller in communication with the plurality of game terminals;
• a progressive jackpot, the progressive jackpot receiving a portion of wagers from player-initiated plays made at the plurality of game terminals;
• a first game terminal outcome message received by the jackpot controller and communicating that the first outcome is a progressive jackpot winning outcome;
• a second game terminal outcome message received by the jackpot controller and communicating that the second outcome is a progressive jackpot winning outcome;
• a first jackpot message sent by the jackpot controller in response to the first game terminal outcome message and received by the first terminal prior to the display of the first play result and communicating a first awarded jackpot;
• and
• a second jackpot message sent by the jackpot controller in response to the second game terminal outcome message and received by the second terminal prior to the display of the second play result and communicating a second awarded jackpot,
• wherein, when the first play result is a progressive jackpot winning outcome, the first game terminal is configured to display the first play result only after receiving the first jackpot message, and wherein when the second play result is a progressive jackpot winning outcome, the second game terminal is configured to display the second play result only after receiving the second jackpot message.

A method for preventing near-concurrent wins in a progressive gaming system comprising:

• determining the outcome of a player-initiated play at a game terminal, the outcome including a result for a progressive jackpot game;
• if the outcome is a progressive game win, communicating the outcome to a centralized controller;
• awarding a current progressive jackpot amount to the communicated result;
• and
• whenever the outcome is a progressive game win, waiting for a positive acknowledgment from the centralized controller before displaying the outcome to the player at the game terminal.