Method, apparatus, and program product for triggering and controlling jackpot gaming machine operation

A gaming machine, the gaming machine including:

• (a) a display system;
• (b) a player input system;
• (c) at least one processor;
• and
• (d) at least one memory device storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to:
• control the display system to display a game symbol array for a play at the gaming machine including an array area of at least one row and at least three columns in which symbols are shown and evaluated;
• control the display system to display a series of jackpot prize indicators in a secondary display area;
• during the play at the gaming machine, populating game symbol locations in the array area selected from a game symbol set which includes at least a first trigger symbol and a second trigger symbol;
• and
• responsive to a winning condition including a predetermined positive number of trigger symbols comprising zero or more of the first trigger symbols and zero or more of the second trigger symbols, perform a jackpot win round including (i) based on the numbers of first or second trigger symbols in the winning condition, selecting a set of the jackpot prize indicators, and (ii) randomly selecting a jackpot prize indicator from the selected set and awarding an associated jackpot prize for the play at the gaming machine.

A program product comprising one or more tangible, non-transitory computer readable data storage devices storing program code for a reel-type gaming machine, the program code including:

• first program code executable by at least one processor to control a display system of the gaming machine to display a game symbol array for a play at the gaming machine including an array area of at least one row and at least three columns in which symbols are shown and evaluated;
• second program code executable by the at least one processor to control the display system to display a series of jackpot prize indicators in a secondary display area;
• wherein the first program code is further executable for, during the play at the gaming machine, populating game symbol locations in the array area selected from a game symbol set which includes at least a first trigger symbol and a second trigger symbol;
• and
• third program code executable by the at least one processor for, responsive to a winning condition including a predetermined positive number of trigger symbols comprising zero or more of the first trigger symbols and zero or more of the second trigger symbols, performing a jackpot win round including (i) based on the numbers of first or second trigger symbols in the winning condition, selecting a set of the jackpot prize indicators, and (ii) randomly selecting a jackpot prize indicator from the selected set and awarding an associated jackpot prize for the play at the gaming machine.