Gaming system and methods of gaming

A method of conducting a game on a gaming system, said method comprising:

• receiving a wager from a player using a credit input mechanism;
• receiving, by a jackpot controller, an amount of credit wagered for each play;
• establishing by a game controller a credit balance based on the credit input;
• applying, by the jackpot controller, a contribution rate to the amount of credit wagered for each play to contribute to a progressive jackpot prize value;
• computing, by the jackpot controller, an average accumulated turnover between a plurality of successive awards of a jackpot prize of the jackpot;
• and
• computing, by the jackpot controller, based on the average accumulated turnover and the contribution rate of the amount of credit wagered, an average increment amount, wherein the average increment amount represents an average amount by which the jackpot prize value is incremented before the jackpot prize is awarded;
• incrementing, by the jackpot controller, the progressive jackpot prize value by the computed contribution rate of the amount of credit wagered;
• establishing a start-up jackpot prize value upon the commencement of one of a jackpot, wherein the start-up jackpot prize value is the sum of a base amount and the determined average increment amount, and is an amount equal to no less than an average jackpot return;
• detecting a jackpot trigger;
• evaluating, by the game controller, the game outcome to determine if the player is entitled to an award based on the wager;
• awarding, by game controller, the jackpot prize in in response to detecting the jackpot trigger;
• and
• resetting the jackpot prize value to an amount equal to at most the base amount.

A gaming system comprising:

• at least one gaming machine comprising a player interface comprising a display for displaying game outcomes, a credit mechanism for receiving wagers, and a game play mechanism;
• at least one of a game controller and a jackpot controller configured to receive a wager using the credit mechanism, said controller comprising a processor configured to, for a plurality of plays of a wagering game occurring prior to a commencement of the gaming system, maintain a jackpot for said gaming system by:
• determining an amount of credit wagered for each play;
• applying a contribution rate to the amount of credit wagered for each play to contribute to a progressive jackpot prize value;
• computing an average accumulated turnover between a plurality of successive awards of a jackpot prize of the jackpot;
• determining, based upon the average accumulated turnover and the contribution rate of the amount of credit wagered, an average increment amount for the jackpot;
• increasing the jackpot prize value by the determined average increment amount before the jackpot prize is awarded;
• establishing a start-up jackpot prize value upon commencement of the jackpot prize;
• awarding the jackpot prize in response to detecting a jackpot trigger, wherein any time the jackpot prize is awarded, the jackpot prize value is reset.