A self configuring progressive jackpot award system includes a plurality of electronic gaming machines (EGMs). The plurality of EGMs respectively include a plurality of EGM configuration options, and operate in accordance with the EGM configuration options. A subset of the plurality of EGM configuration options relates to participating in a progressive jackpot award game. A progressive controller is coupled to the plurality of EGMs and controls the operation of a progressive jackpot award game. The progressive controller includes a plurality of progressive jackpot award game configuration options. A subset of these progressive jackpot award game configuration options correspond to the subset of EGM configuration options related to participating in the progressive jackpot award game. The progressive controller automatically sends data representing this subset of progressive jackpot award game configuration options to the plurality of EGMs. The plurality of EGMs receives the progressive jackpot award game configuration option representative data from the progressive controller, stores the subset of EGM configuration options related to participating in the progressive jackpot award game represented by the data, and participates in the progressive jackpot award game in accordance with the EGM progressive jackpot award game configuration options.