Methods and apparatus for facilitating flat rate play sessions

• US 10,096,197 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): PINHEIRO, JASON PAUL
• Application Number:
  US13/562,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20120295691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,262 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment, a video roulette flat rate play session is facilitated. The flat rate play session may be associated with at least one of a wagering restriction applied to one or more bets during the flat rate play session and a net maximum payout per spin applicable to one or more bets during the flat rate play session. In one embodiment, a player is provided with a plurality of wagering units at the beginning of the session. A monetary value of the plurality of wagering units may be greater than a monetary value of a flat rate price paid for the flat rate play session.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establishing a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receiving a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, wherein prior to the request being received, the at least one personalized card is associated with a first value, and

responsive to the request being received, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to associate at least one predetermined value change with the at least one personalized card, wherein after an activation of the associated at least one predetermined value change, the at least one personalized card is associated with a second, different value;

causing a display, by at least one display device, of an indication of the at least one predetermined value change; and

following the placement of the wager, enabling the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one predetermined value change.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined value change includes a value different from a traditional value of the personalized card.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined value change is chosen by the player.

4. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate at least one predetermined rule change with the at least one personalized card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one predetermined value change is deactivated after a predetermined period of time associated with the at least one predetermined value change.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one predetermined value change is activated after a predetermined period of time associated with the at least one predetermined value change.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined value change is activated upon an occurrence of a triggering event.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the triggering event includes an outcome of the at least one play of the game.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one play of the game includes at least one of:

a play of a blackjack game and a play of a baccarat game.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one play of the game occurs on a smart table.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one play of the game occurs on an electronic gaming machine.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined value change includes at least one of a rank and a suite of at least one personalized card.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined value change is specified in the received request.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined value change is determined by an electronic apparatus.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one predetermined value change is at least partially randomly determined.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one play of the game is part of a flat rate blackjack session.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the flat rate blackjack session includes a plurality of segments each of an associated predetermined length.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions configured to direct a processor to:

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establish a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receive a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, wherein prior to the request being received, the at least one personalized card is associated with a first value, and

responsive to the request being received, associate at least one predetermined value change with the at least one personalized card, wherein after an activation of the associated at least one predetermined value change, the at least one personalized card is associated with a second, different value;

cause a display, by at least one display device, of an indication of the at least one predetermined value change; and

following the placement of the wager, enable the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one predetermined value change.

19. An apparatus comprising:

at least one display device;

a input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establish a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receive a request, via the at least one input device, to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, wherein prior to the request being received, the at least one personalized card is associated with a first value, and

responsive to the request being received, associate at least one predetermined value change with the at least one personalized card, wherein after an activation of the associated at least one predetermined value change, the at least one personalized card is associated with a second, different value;

cause the at least one display device to display an indication of the at least one predetermined value change; and

following the placement of the wager, enable the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one predetermined value change.

20. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establishing a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receiving a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, wherein prior to the request being received, the at least one play of the game is associated with a first rule, and

responsive to the request being received and in exchange for an amount of consideration, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to associate at least one predetermined rule change with the at least one personalized card;

causing a display, by at least one display device, of an indication of the at least one predetermined rule change; and

following the placement of the wager, enabling the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one predetermined rule change, wherein after the association, the at least one play of the game is associated with a second, different rule.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one predetermined rule change includes an automatic win rule.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the at least one predetermined rule change is deactivated after a predetermined period of time associated with the at least one predetermined rule change.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the at least one predetermined rule change is activated after a predetermined period of time associated with the at least one predetermined rule change.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one predetermined rule change is activated upon an occurrence of a triggering event.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the triggering event includes an outcome of the at least one play of the game.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the amount of the consideration is determined based upon an expected value as a result of the at least one personalized card.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the amount of the consideration is determined based upon an expected frequency of the appearance of the at least one personalized card during the at least one play of the game.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the amount of the consideration is determined based upon an amount of a wager placed.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the amount of the consideration is predetermined and which includes causing the at least one display device to display the predetermined amount of the consideration.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the amount of the consideration includes a tax applied to any awards for the at least one play of the game.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the associated at least one predetermined rule change is an advantageous rule change.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the associated at least one predetermined rule change is a disadvantageous rule change.

33. The method of claim 20, which includes the player associating the at least one predetermined rule change with the at least one personalized card.

34. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions configured to direct a processor to:

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establish a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receive a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, wherein prior to the request being received, the at least one play of the game is associated with a first rule, and

responsive to the request being received and in exchange for an amount of consideration, associate at least one predetermined rule change with the at least one personalized card;

cause a display, by a display device, of an indication of the at least one predetermined rule change; and

following the placement of the wager, enable the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one predetermined rule change, wherein after the association, the at least one play of the game is associated with a second, different rule.

35. An apparatus comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establish a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receive a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, wherein prior to the request being received, the at least one play of the game is associated with a first rule, and

responsive to the request being received and in exchange for an amount of consideration, associate at least one predetermined rule change with the at least one personalized card;

cause the at least one display device to display an indication of the at least one predetermined rule change; and

following the placement of the wager, enable the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one predetermined rule change, wherein after the association, the at least one play of the game is associated with a second, different rule.

36. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establishing a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receiving a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, and

responsive to the request being received, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to associate at least one of;

a predetermined value change and a predetermined rule change with the at least one personalized card;

following the placement of the wager, enabling the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change; and

determining whether the at least one personalized card is applicable, wherein responsive to the at least one personalized card being applicable, at least one of;

the at least one play of the game is associated with a first rule, and the at least one personalized card is associated with a first value, and responsive to the at least one personalized card not being applicable, at least one of;

the at least one play of the game is associated with a second, different rule, and the at least one personalized card is associated with a second, different value.

37. The method of claim 36, which includes determining a segment of a flat rate session including the at least one play of the game.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the at least one personalized card is determined to be applicable based in part upon the determined segment.

39. The method of claim 36, which includes determining whether the at least one personalized card appears in a player'"'"'s initial hand.

40. The method of claim 36, which includes determining a duration during which the at least one personalized card is applicable.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the determining is performed by a dealer.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the dealer determines the applicability of the at least one personalized card based upon a visual inspection.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the determining is performed by the player.

44. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions configured to direct a processor to:

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establish a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of game;

receive a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, and

associate at least one of;

a predetermined value change and a predetermined rule change with the at least one personalized card;

following the placement of the wager, enable the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change; and

determine whether the at least one personalized card is applicable, wherein responsive to the at least one personalized card being applicable, at least one of;

the at least one play of the game is associated with a first rule, and the at least one personalized card is associated with a first value, and responsive to the at least one personalized card not being applicable, at least one of;

the at least one play of the game is associated with a second, different rule, and the at least one personalized card is associated with a second, different value.

45. An apparatus comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establish a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receive a request, via the at least one input device, to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game, and

associate at least one of;

a predetermined value change and a predetermined rule change with the at least one personalized card;

following the placement of the wager, enable the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change; and

determine whether the at least one personalized card is applicable, wherein responsive to the at least one personalized card being applicable, at least one of;

the at least one play of the game is associated with a first rule, and the at least one personalized card is associated with a first value, and responsive to the at least one personalized card not being applicable, at least one of;

the at least one play of the game is associated with a second, different rule, and the at least one personalized card is associated with a second, different value.

46. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establishing a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receiving a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game,

causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to identify at least one of a rank, a color, and a suit for the at least one personalized card, and

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to identify at least one of;

a predetermined value change and a predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card;

causing a display, by at least one display device, of an indication of the at least one personalized card and the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card;

following the placement of the wager, enabling the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change; and

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to applying the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card upon the occurrence of the at least one personalized card.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one value change includes a value different from a traditional value of the personalized card.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the predetermined value change is chosen by the player.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one of:

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change is deactivated after a predetermined period of time associated with the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one of:

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change is activated after a predetermined period of time associated with the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one of:

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change is activated upon an occurrence of a triggering event.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the triggering event includes an outcome of the at least one play of the game.

53. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one play of the game includes at least one of:

a play of a blackjack game and a play of a baccarat game.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the at least one play of the game occurs on a smart table.

55. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one play of the game occurs on an electronic gaming machine.

56. The method of claim 46, wherein the predetermined value change includes at least one of a rank and a suite of at least one personalized card.

57. The method of claim 46, wherein the predetermined value change is specified in the received request.

58. The method of claim 46, wherein the predetermined value change is determined by an electronic apparatus.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the predetermined value change is at least partially randomly determined.

60. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one play of the game is part of a flat rate blackjack session.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the flat rate blackjack session includes a plurality of segments each of a predetermined length.

62. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions configured to direct a processor to:

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establish a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receive a request to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game,

identify at least one of a rank, a color, and a suit for the at least one personalized card, and

identify at least one of;

a predetermined value change and a predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card;

cause a display, by at least one display device, of an indication of the at least one personalized card and the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card;

following the placement of the wager, enable the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change; and

apply the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card upon the occurrence of the at least one personalized card.

63. An apparatus comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

responsive to a physical item being received via a payment acceptor, establish a credit balance drawable upon via a placement of a wager, said established credit balance being based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, wherein the physical item is selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value and a unit of currency;

prior to at least one play of a game;

receive a request, via the at least one input device, to utilize at least one personalized card from a player in association with the at least one play of the game,

identify at least one of a rank, a color, and a suit for the at least one personalized card, and

identify at least one of;

a predetermined value change and a predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card;

cause the at least one display device to display an indication of the at least one personalized card and the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card;

following the placement of the wager, enable the at least one play of the game in accordance with the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change; and

apply the at least one of;

the predetermined value change and the predetermined rule change associated with the at least one personalized card upon the occurrence of the at least one personalized card.