Method and apparatus for offering a guaranteed win

• US 20030060276A1
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Friesen, Scott T., Tulley, Stephen C., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Downs, Michael D., Walker, Jay S., Gilman, Norman C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,012,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is provided, the method comprising the steps of generating a first outcome of a game of chance, determining a target outcome, receiving a first wager, generating a second outcome based on the first outcome, and repeating the step of generating the second outcome until the second outcome matches the target outcome, before receiving any second wager.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a primary outcome;

determining a target outcome;

generating a payout table based on the primary outcome and the target outcome;

receiving a wager from a player;

generating a first secondary outcome;

determining a total number of secondary outcomes generated;

determining whether the first secondary outcome matches the target outcome;

providing a payout based on the total number of secondary outcomes generated if the first secondary outcome matches the target outcome; and

generating a second secondary outcome if the first secondary outcome does not match the target outcome.

2. The method of claim 1, in which generating the second secondary outcome comprises:

generating the second secondary outcome without requiring a second wager from the player.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

incrementing a count of a number of secondary outcomes generated after generating the second secondary outcome.

4. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the wager comprises:

receiving the wager from the player before determining the primary outcome.

5. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the wager comprises:

receiving the wager from the player after determining the primary outcome.

6. The method of claim 1, in which generating the first secondary outcome comprises:

generating the first secondary outcome after receiving the wager from the player and before receiving any other wager.

7. The method of claim 1,

in which determining the primary outcome comprises:

determining the primary outcome after receiving the wager from the player; and

in which generating the first secondary outcome comprises;

generating the first secondary outcome after determining the primary outcome and before receiving any other wager subsequent to the wager.

8. The method of claim 1,

in which determining the primary outcome comprises:

determining the primary outcome before receiving the wager from the player; and

in which generating the first secondary outcome comprises;

generating the first secondary outcome after receiving the wager from the player and before receiving any other wager subsequent to the wager.

9. The method of claim 1,

in which generating the first secondary outcome comprises:

generating the first secondary outcome after receiving the wager from the player; and

in which generating the second secondary outcome comprises;

generating the second secondary outcome before receiving any other wager subsequent to the wager.

10. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

receiving an indication of a selection by a player of a target outcome to be achieved.

11. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

determining the target outcome based on the primary outcome.

12. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

determining at least one game element corresponding to the primary outcome; and

determining the target outcome based on the at least one game element.

13. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

determining a first rank that is associated with the primary outcome; and

determining at least one outcome that is associated with a second rank, in which the second rank is not less than the first rank

14. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

determining a first rank that is associated with the primary outcome;

determining a plurality of outcomes, in which each outcome is associated with a respective second rank, in which the respective second rank is not less than the first rank; and

selecting at least one outcome from the plurality of outcomes.

15. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

designating the target outcome.

16. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

determining at least one target outcome that is associated with a payout amount that is not less than a predetermined minimum payout amount.

17. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

determining at least one target outcome that is associated with a payout amount that is not greater than a predetermined minimum payout amount.

18. The method of claim 1, in which determining the target outcome comprises:

comparing the primary outcome to a database of winning outcomes.

19. The method of claim 1,

in which the primary outcome comprises a first game element and a second game element;

and

in which the target outcome comprises the first game element.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the payout.

21. The method of claim 20, in which determining the payout comprises:

determining the payout based on a number of iterations.

22. The method of claim 20, in which determining the payout comprises:

determining the payout based on the target outcome.

23. The method of claim 20, in which determining the payout comprises:

determining the payout based on the target outcome and the primary outcome.

24. The method of claim 20, in which determining the payout comprises:

determining the payout based on a probability of achieving the target outcome.

25. The method of claim 20, in which determining the payout comprises:

determining the payout based on the primary outcome and a probability of achieving the target outcome.

26. The method of claim 20, in which determining the payout comprises:

determining a probability of achieving the target outcome based on the primary outcome.

27. The method of claim 20, in which determining the payout comprises:

determining a probability of achieving the target outcome based on the primary outcome; and

determining the payout based on the probability.

28. A method comprising:

providing to a player an offer for a guaranteed outcome in exchange for a payment;

receiving the payment from the player; and

providing the guaranteed outcome to the player, comprising;

allowing the player to spin at least one reel of a slot machine as many times as is necessary to achieve the guaranteed outcome,

in which the guaranteed outcome corresponds to a payout amount that is greater than zero.

29. A method comprising:

providing to a player an offer for a guaranteed benefit in exchange for a payment, in which the guaranteed benefit comprises an outcome corresponding to a payout that is greater than zero;

receiving an indication of an acceptance by the player of the offer;

after receiving the indication of the acceptance by the player of the offer for the guaranteed benefit, initiating at least one spin of at least one reel of a slot machine; and

generating the outcome based on the at least one spin, thereby providing the guaranteed benefit.

30. A method comprising:

generating a first outcome of a game of chance;

determining a target outcome;

receiving a first wager;

generating a second outcome based on the first outcome; and

repeating the step of generating the second outcome until the second outcome matches the target outcome, before receiving any second wager.

31. A method comprising:

generating a first outcome of a game of chance;

determining whether the first outcome matches a target outcome;

if the first outcome does not match the target outcome, generating a second outcome; and

if the first outcome does match the target outcome, providing a payout to a player.

32. A method comprising:

receiving a first wager from a player;

dealing a first hand of cards after receiving the wager, the first hand including a first card;

receiving an indication of a request by the player for a guaranteed hand;

determining a guaranteed hand to offer to the player, in which the guaranteed hand includes the first card, a second card, a third card, a fourth card, and a fifth card;

displaying at least a portion of a payout table to the player, the payout table indicating a plurality of payout amounts, each payout amount being associated with a respective total number of hands dealt to achieve the guaranteed hand;

receiving an indication of an acceptance by the player of the guaranteed hand;

dealing a second hand of cards;

determining whether the second hand includes the first card, the second card, the third card, the fourth card, and the fifth card;

providing a payout if the second hand includes the first card, the second card, the third card, the fourth card, and the fifth card; and

before receiving any second wager that is subsequent to the first wager, dealing a third hand of cards if the second hand does not include each of the first card, the second card, the third card, the fourth card, and the fifth card.

33. A method comprising:

displaying a first outcome, the first outcome including a first reel symbol at a first reel;

receiving an indication of a request by a player for a guaranteed reel symbol at a second reel;

displaying a plurality of reel symbols to the player;

receiving an indication of a selection by the player of a guaranteed reel symbol from the plurality of reel symbols;

displaying at least a portion of a payout table to the player, the payout table indicating a plurality of payout amounts, each payout amount being associated with a respective total number of re-spins of the second reel to achieve the guaranteed reel symbol;

receiving a first wager from the player;

receiving an indication of a request by the player for a first re-spin of the second reel;

determining a second outcome based on the first re-spin of the second reel;

determining whether the second outcome includes the guaranteed reel symbol at the second reel;

providing a payout if the second outcome includes the guaranteed reel symbol at the second reel; and

before receiving any second wager that is subsequent to the first wager, determining a third outcome based on a second re-spin of the second reel if the second outcome does not include the guaranteed reel symbol at the second reel.

34. A method comprising:

receiving a first wager from a player;

dealing a first hand of cards after receiving the wager, the first hand including a first card;

receiving an indication of a request by the player to hold the first card;

receiving an indication of a request by the player for a guaranteed hand, in which the guaranteed hand includes the first card, a second card, a third card, a fourth card, and a fifth card;

dealing a second hand of cards, the second hand including the first card and the second card;

receiving an indication of a request by the player to hold the second card;

dealing a third hand of cards;

determining whether the third hand includes first card, the second card, the third card, the fourth card, and the fifth card;

providing a payout if the second hand includes the first card, the second card, the third card, the fourth card, and the fifth card; and

before receiving any second wager from the player that is subsequent to the first wager, dealing a fourth hand of cards if the third hand does not include each of the first card, the second card, the third card, the fourth card, and the fifth card.