Method and system for side wagering

• US 10,134,224 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2017
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Montgomery, David
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Application Number:
  US15/856,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20180122178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A side wagering system for table games includes a table controller, a dealer interface and at least one player interface, the at least one player interface including a first wager area and at least one second wager area, which permit a player to place first, second or one or more third supplemental wagers for the opportunity to win corresponding first, second or one or more third awards, such as a first, a second or a third progressive jackpot. The table controllers or multiple tables may be linked to a common award server.

Claims

1. A side wagering system comprising:

a first wagering area having a wager detector configured to generate a first wager signal when a side wager has been placed by a player at the first wagering area;

a second wagering area having a wager detector configured to generate a second wager signal when a side wager has been placed by a player at the second wagering area;

a table controller, operatively connectable to the first wagering area and the second wagering area, the table controller configured to receive the first wager signal from the wager detector at the first wagering area and to receive the second wager signal from the wager detector at the second wager area; and

an award server operatively connectable to the table controller, the award server configured to;

add a value of a first wagering opportunity to a first, distinct jackpot pool when the wager detector of the first wagering area generates the first wager signal and the wager detector of the second wagering area does not generate the second wager signal and authorize payment of a first jackpot of a first value from the first jackpot pool when a winning outcome occurs;

add a value of a second wagering opportunity to a second, distinct jackpot pool when the wager detector of the first wagering area does not generate the first wager signal and the wager detector of the second wagering area generates the second wager signal and authorize payment of a second jackpot of a second, intermediate value from the second jackpot pool when a winning outcome occurs; and

add a value of a third wagering opportunity to a third, distinct jackpot pool when the wager detector of the first wagering area generates the first wager signal and the wager detector of the second wagering area generates the second wager signal and authorize payment of a third jackpot of a third, greatest value from the third jackpot pool when a winning outcome occurs.

2. The side wagering system of claim 1, wherein the award server is configured to accept the third wagering opportunity only when the first wager signal and the second wager signal indicate that wagering elements located on the first wagering area and the second wagering area are of an amount greater than a greatest acceptable amount for the second wagering opportunity, and the award server is configured to accept the second wagering opportunity only when the second wager signal indicates that wagering elements located on the second wagering area are of an amount greater than a greatest acceptable amount for the first wagering opportunity.

3. The side wagering system of claim 2, wherein the award server is configured to authorize payment of the first, second, and third awards as portions or all of respective progressive jackpots.

4. The side wagering system of claim 1, further comprising a dealer interface operatively connectable to the first wagering area and the second wagering area, the dealer interface comprising at least one input device configured to accept input from a dealer at least to cause the first wagering area and the second wagering area to cease accepting wagers.

5. The side wagering system of claim 1, wherein the table controller is operatively connectable to other table controllers, and wherein the award server is configured to pool the values of the first wagering opportunities from each connected table controller into the first jackpot pool, to pool the values of the second wagering opportunities from each connected table controller into the second jackpot pool, and to pool the values of the third wagering opportunities from each connected table controller into the third jackpot pool.

6. The side wagering system of claim 1, further comprising a gaming table configured to support the first wagering detector, the second wagering detector, and the table controller thereon, the gaming table configured to present the first wagering detector and the second wagering detector within a player interface.

7. The side wagering system of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver configured to operatively connect the table controller to the award server.

8. The side wagering system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a visual and audio indicator operatively connectable to the table controller, the first wagering area, and the second wagering area, the table controller configured to cause the at least one of the visual and audio indicator to indicate at least whether the first wagering area and the second wagering area indicate whether the first wagering opportunity, the second wagering opportunity, or the third wagering opportunity has been accepted.

9. The side wagering system of claim 1, further comprising a display operatively connectable to the award server, the display configured to display at least an amount of a first jackpot, a second jackpot, or a third jackpot when a winning outcome occurs.

10. The side wagering system of claim 1, wherein the wager detectors of the first wagering area, the second wagering area, and the third wagering area comprise one or more of a Near-Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor, a pressure sensor, or a light sensor.

11. A method of administering side wagers utilizing a side wagering system comprising:

generating a first wager signal when a side wager is detected by a wager detector of a first wagering area;

generating a second wager signal when a side wager is detected by a wager detector of a second wagering area;

receiving the first wager signal from the wager detector of the first wagering area when the side wager is detected by the wager detector of the first wagering area at a table controller operatively connected to the first wagering area;

receiving the second wager signal from the wager detector of the second wager area when the side wager is detected by the wager detector of the second wagering area at the table controller, the table controller operatively connected to the second wagering area;

adding a value of a first wagering opportunity to a first, distinct jackpot pool utilizing an award server operatively connected to the table controller when the wager detector of the first wagering area generates the first wager signal and the wager detector of the second wagering area does not generate the second wager signal and authorizing payment of a first jackpot of a first value from the first jackpot pool utilizing the award server when a winning outcome occurs;

adding a value of a second wagering opportunity to a second, distinct jackpot pool utilizing the award server when the wager detector of the first wagering area does not generate the first wager signal and the wager detector of the second wagering area generates the second wager signal and authorizing payment of a second jackpot of a second, intermediate value from the second jackpot pool utilizing the award server when a winning outcome occurs; and

adding a value of a third wagering opportunity to a third, distinct jackpot pool utilizing the award server when the wager detector of the first wagering area generates the first wager signal and the wager detector of the second wagering area generates the second wager signal and authorizing payment of a third jackpot of a third, greatest value from the third jackpot pool utilizing the award server when a winning outcome occurs.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising accepting the third wagering opportunity at the award server only when the first wager signal and the second wager signal indicate that wagering elements located on the first wagering area and the second wagering area are of an amount greater than a greatest acceptable amount for the second wagering opportunity, and accepting the second wagering opportunity at the award server only when the second wager signal indicates that wagering elements located on the second wagering area are of an amount greater than a greatest acceptable amount for the first wagering opportunity.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising authorizing payment of the first, second, and third awards utilizing the award server as portions or all of respective progressive jackpots.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising accepting input at least to cause the first wagering area and the second wagering area to cease accepting wagers utilizing at least one input device of a dealer interface operatively connected to the first wagering area and the second wagering area.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising pooling the values of the first wagering opportunities from each of table controller of a plurality of connected table controllers into the first jackpot pool, pooling the values of the second wagering opportunities from each connected table controller into the second jackpot pool, and pooling the values of the third wagering opportunities from each connected table controller into the third jackpot pool utilizing the award server.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising supporting the first wagering detector, the second wagering detector, and the table controller on a gaming table, and presenting the first wagering detector and the second wagering detector within a player interface.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising operatively connecting the table controller to the award server utilizing a transceiver.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising causing at least one of a visual and audio indicator to indicate at least whether the first wagering area and the second wagering area indicate whether the first wagering opportunity, the second wagering opportunity, or the third wagering opportunity has been accepted utilizing the table controller.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying at least an amount of a first jackpot, a second jackpot, or a third jackpot on a display operatively connectable to the award server when a winning outcome occurs.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the first and second wager signals comprises using the wager detectors comprising one or more of an NFC sensor, an RFID sensor, a pressure sensor, or a light sensor to generate the first and second wager signals.