Gaming System Having System Wide Tournament Features

A gaming system having system wide tournament features, comprising:

• a wager input device;
• a first gaming terminal comprising a first display for displaying a first wagering game;
• a second gaming terminal comprising at least a second display for displaying a second wagering game;
• a tournament server in communication with the first and second gaming devices;
• and
• at least one controller operative to:
• (i) detect that each of the first and second gaming terminals is operating in a tournament mode;
• (ii) activating a tournament for a predetermined time period;
• (iii) receive a first tournament entry comprising a first tournament score collected during a predetermined number of plays of the first wagering game;
• (iv) receive a second tournament entry comprising a second tournament score collected during the predetermined number of plays of the second wagering game;
• (v) analyze the first tournament score, the second tournament score, and any other tournament scores received to determine a finishing order and prize pool;
• and
• (vi) award to at least one player a tournament award, the tournament award dependent upon the at least one player's position in the finishing order.

A method of conducting a wagering game tournament comprising:

• receiving a plurality of wagers from a first player at a first gaming terminal displaying a first wagering game;
• executing X plays of the first wagering game on the first gaming terminal, wherein on each winning outcome of the first wagering game, a predetermined number of tournament points are added to a cumulative tournament score associated with the first player;
• receiving a plurality of wagers from a second player at a second gaming terminal displaying a second wagering game;
• executing X plays of the second wagering game on the second gaming terminal, wherein on each winning outcome of the second wagering game, a predetermined number of tournament points are added to a cumulative tournament score associated with the second player;
• logging the first player's tournament score, the second player's tournament score, and any other players' tournament scores to determine a number of participants in the tournament and a finishing order of the participants;
• and
• awarding to at least one participant a tournament award based at least in part on the at least one participant's position in the finishing order.

A method of conducting a wagering game tournament comprising:

• identifying participants in the tournament by receiving a player identifier from each such participant;
• receiving from each participant in the tournament at least one wager;
• and
• receiving from each participant in the tournament a tournament score comprising a total number of tournament points collected during X plays of one of a plurality of wagering games, wherein each play of the wagering game comprises displaying a randomly selected outcome from a plurality of available outcomes, wherein upon the occurrence of winning outcome, a predetermined number of tournament points associated with such winning outcome is awarded.

A method of conducting a wagering game tournament comprising:

• determining a number of participants in the tournament;
• determining a number of paid finishing positions for which an award will be paid, the number of paid finishing positions dependent upon the number of participants;
• receiving from each participant a tournament score, the tournament score comprising the sum of all tournament points earned during a predetermined number of plays of a wagering game, wherein each winning outcome of the wagering game includes an award of at least one credit and at least one tournament point;
• ranking the received tournament scores from largest to smallest to determine a finishing order including the paid finishing positions;
• identifying the participants in the paid finishing positions;
• and
• awarding each of the participants in the paid finishing positions a tournament award.

A method of conducting a wagering game tournament, the method comprising:

• executing and displaying a predetermined number of plays of a wagering game having a range of available credit awards, each play comprising a randomly selected outcome;
• for each play of the wagering game yielding a winning outcome associated with a winning credit award, determining a tournament point award, wherein the tournament point award is mathematically associated with a first subrange of credits within the range, the subrange including the winning credit award;
• summing up the tournament points earned in the predetermined number of plays of the wagering game to arrive at a tournament entry score;
• and
• awarding a tournament award to at least one participant in the wagering game tournament based at least in part on the participant's tournament score relative to the tournament scores of other players participating in the wagering game tournament.