Patent 8702520 was granted and assigned to IGT on April, 2014 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A network gaming system and method including a server having plural regular games for selection, and plural tournament games for plural players. The system also has plural gaming devices each in communication with the server to conduct a selected regular game upon receipt of a regular wager, and to enter a first tournament game upon receipt of a first tournament wager, and to simultaneously enter a second tournament game upon receipt of a second tournament wager. The system also has a payout system to award a regular game winning player a regular prize, and to award a tournament winning player a tournament prize.